ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Departmental Regulation

Gordon Banks: To ask the Attorney-General 
	(1)  what the name is of each regulatory measure revoked by the Law Officers' Departments between 1 March and 31 May 2011; and what estimate he has made of the potential annual saving to those affected by each revocation;
	(2)  what regulations the Law Officers' Departments introduced between 1 March 2011 and 31 May 2011; and what the estimated costs of implementation were for those affected in each case.

Edward Garnier: The Law Officers' Departments have not revoked or introduced any regulations during 2011.

EU Law

Julian Smith: To ask the Attorney-General for what European directives in force on 1 April 2010 his Departments are responsible; and what European directives for which his Departments are responsible have come into force since 1 April 2010.

Edward Garnier: The Law Officers' Departments have no responsibility for any EU Directives.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Arms Trade: Libya

Andrew Stephenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what licences have been granted for the export of weapons or military hardware to Libya since May 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Prisk: This information is published in the Annual and Quarterly Reports on Strategic Export Controls. These reports contain detailed information on export licences issued, refused or revoked, by destination, including the overall value, type (e.g. Military, Other) and a summary of the items covered by these licences. They are available to view on the Strategic Export Controls: Reports and Statistics website at:
	https://www.exportcontroldb.berr.gov.uk/eng/fox
	Currently this includes information up to 31 December 2010. Information covering 1 January 2011 to 31 March will be published in July this year.

Banks: Regulation

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 7 June 2011, Official Report, columns 217-8W, on banks: regulation, what options for further action he has considered in relation to banks that fail to meet lending targets as set out by Project Merlin.

Mark Prisk: As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister made clear before the Commons Liaison Committee on 17 May, and as the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, my right hon. Friend, the Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable) said again before the BIS Select Committee on 8 June, the first step should be to try to make Project Merlin work in the way that was intended. Although these are early days, we want to see significant improvement over the next few months. We will monitor the banks' performance extremely closely and, in particular, look at the issue of discouraged demand.
	If the banks fail to meet their side of the agreement we reserve the right to revisit our side of the agreement, including with regard to new levies on profits and bonuses.
	In the meantime, we will continue to put pressure on the banks to improve relationships with their small business customers starting with exploring options to push for greater transparency on how they assess and price risks.
	I have also written to the banks to ask them to outline precisely how the incentives for their senior managers are linked to small and medium enterprise lending.

Business: Billing

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department has taken to strengthen the Prompt Payment Code.

Mark Prisk: The Prompt Payment Code is a voluntary code developed and managed by the Institute of Credit Management (ICM). We encourage all public sector bodies and private sector businesses to become signatories to the code.
	Government believe that it is important that the public sector sets a strong example. So central Government Departments now aim to pay 80% of undisputed invoices within five days. To ensure the benefits of prompt payment to main contractors are felt through the supply chain and benefit smaller businesses, all Departments have included a clause in their contracts that requires main contractors to pay their suppliers within 30 days.
	The wider public sector is also performing better than ever before. The Forum of Private Business surveyed all UK local authorities and reported that the average payment time is 18 days in England and that 42% of invoices are now being paid within 10 days.
	The full list of signatories to the code can be found on the Institute of Credit Management website at:
	http://www.promptpaymentcode.org.uk/

Business: Industrial Health and Safety

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment his Department has made of the merits of (a) requiring low-risk and high-risk business to meet different levels of health and safety regulation and (b) tailoring legislation and enforcement to the risk level of the work place; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Prisk: Businesses in the same sector and often of similar sizes are normally subject to the same baseline standards of regulation regardless of the risk they might pose. This is because most regulatory requirements are of general application, which means that they apply to their addressees equally. This is necessary to ensure consistency and a level-playing field across the regulatory landscape.
	However, while similar businesses may be required to meet the same levels of regulation, the enforcement of the regulation may, and should, be varied according to risk. The Regulators' Compliance Code (issued under the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006) gives statutory effect to these principles. The Code requires regulators to ensure that all aspects of their regulatory activity are informed by risk.
	The Government agrees that legislation and enforcement should reflect levels of risk and how well these are controlled. To that end, we have commissioned an independent review of health and safety legislation, led by Professor Lofstedt. We plan to reform Britain's health and safety system and ensure we reduce unnecessary burdens on business while maintaining standards of protection.
	The following support the drive to reduce burdens:
	In March 2010, the Minister of State, Department for Work and Pensions, my right hon. Friend the Member for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling), announced that leading risk management specialist Professor Ragnar E Lofstedt would chair a review of all health and safety regulation, with a view to simplifying the rules and easing the unnecessary burdens on business. The review is due to report in the autumn.
	We continue to simplify legislation and provide better targeted guidance for businesses so that they do not waste time on unnecessary bureaucracy. Example risk assessments for low risk workplaces are published on the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website at:
	http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/casestudies/index.htm
	and HSE has just completed its public consultation on amending the law to reduce the number of ‘lost-time' accident reports businesses need to make—see the following website:
	http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2011/hse-riddor.htm
	Inspection and investigation activities are targeted at those who create the most serious risks. HSE has no plans to proactively inspect low risk workplaces which would be counter to the principles of proportionate enforcement—see HSE's Enforcement Policy Statement at the following website:
	http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hse41.pdf

Construction: Contracts

Lindsay Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what representations he has received on (a) payment terms and (b) payment periods imposed on sub-contractors by contractors in the construction industry.

Mark Prisk: The Department has received a number of representations on payment terms and payment periods from firms in the construction industry. Typically these raise the following issues:
	Main contractors not paying subcontractors for lengthy periods, up to 120 days;
	Main contractors withholding retentions from subcontractors;
	Main contractors reducing the contractually agreed price of work done by up to 25% on completion;
	Main contractors not paying subcontractors at all.

Electronic Commerce

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what information his Department provides to UK firms seeking to improve their internet marketing.

Mark Prisk: The Government's online channel to all businesses providing information and advice, and information on internet marketing, is available through:
	www.businesslink.gov.uk
	This includes information on how to develop and generate information from an e-marketing plan, search engine optimisation and how to measure online marketing activity.

Environmental Protection

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what meetings (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have had to discuss the green economy roadmap since January 2011; and who was present at each such meeting.

Mark Prisk: holding answer 19 May 2011
	The Roadmap to a Green Economy was discussed at a formal meeting of the Green Economy Council on 16 February. The meeting was attended by the following:
	Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills; Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change; Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Minister of State for Business and Enterprise; Lord Henley, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; Tom Crotty, Ineos; Joe Greenwell, Ford; Stephen Leonard, IBM; Andy Reynolds-Smith, GKN; Dan Labbad, and EMEA Lease; Heidi Mottram OBE, Northumbrian Water; Ian Goodfellow, Shanks Plc; Neil Bentley, CBI; Frances O'Grady, TUC; Paul Noon, Prospect; Ian Goldsmith, Tata Steel; Nick Bunker, Kraft; David Frost CBE, British Chambers of Commerce; Peter Young, Aldersgate Group; Neil Schofield, Bosch; Dr Mark Lawson-Statham, Intelligent Energy; Shaun Mays, Climate Change Capital; Mike Rolls, Siemens; Phil Bentley, Centrica; and officials from the three Departments.
	Officials from BIS, DECC and DEFRA have held meetings with a range of stakeholders to gather evidence and views to feed into the Roadmap.

Environmental Protection: Liverpool

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he has taken to encourage the growth of the green economy in the Liverpool city region.

Mark Prisk: The Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has identified the low carbon economy as one of its four key priorities and will work with Government on business opportunities. Liverpool will also be eligible to apply for the establishment of a new Technology and Innovation Centre focusing on offshore renewable energy in a national competition.
	The BIS LEP Capacity Fund has awarded the LEP £45,000 to help aid local partners in identifying the actions needed to drive their priorities forward and to better understand their business environment.
	The Regional Growth Fund has allocated a project to stimulate small and medium enterprises (SMEs) growth in Liverpool through media advocacy to the Liverpool Echo. Grants of between £10,000 and £100,000 will be distributed to SMEs (including those in the Low Carbon Economy) together with coaching and mentoring.
	In addition, from October 2012, small businesses will be able to improve the energy efficiency of their properties at no upfront cost through the Government's Green Deal scheme.

EU Law

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent meetings he has had with (a) the European Commission and (b) his EU counterparts on the level of EU regulation.

Edward Davey: I frequently meet with both European Commission Members and my EU counterparts on a wide range of issues, including to press the case for reducing EU burdens on business. The most recent occasion was at the Competitiveness Council on 30 May, which agreed to reduce the regulatory burden on micro-entities by exempting them from certain accounting rules.

Executives: Females

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent progress he has made in implementing the recommendations of the report of Lord Davies on women on boards.

Edward Davey: Implementation has started across the body of Lord Davies of Abersoch's recommendations aimed at increasing the number of women reaching the boardrooms of UK plc, the majority of which are directed at industry.
	The executive search community have joined forces to develop a voluntary code of conduct for the sector to abide by and the Financial Reporting Council is currently consulting on changes to the Corporate Governance Code.
	The Department for Business will be consulting on greater disclosure in respect of women on boards as part of its work to strengthen narrative reporting. In addition, company chairmen will be encouraged to sign a charter supporting Lord Davies' recommendations.
	In October Lord Davies will reconvene his steering board to assess the progress to date and a six monthly progress report will be produced.

Iron and Steel: Industry

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his Department's policy is on support for the steel pipe industry; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Prisk: We recognise the vital role that the UK steel pipe industry plays in the supply chain in the UK, supplying steel to a range of key industries which underpin many parts of manufacturing. High technology industries like oil, gas and chemicals require high value continually improving steel pipe products.
	We work closely with the steel industry, including the steel pipe sector, to minimise unnecessary regulatory burdens by involving the sector in discussions on regulatory policy and other issues that impact on them, for example on the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, energy costs and supply, climate change and environmental protection. Our aim is to avoid unintended consequences and harness the sector's many creative ideas for alternative, lighter touch approaches.
	Any Government support for the steel pipe industry needs to meet the requirements in the EC state aid rules which only permit support for research and development (R and D), environmental protection and training within specified limits.
	For example, the steel pipe industry has opportunities to participate in collaborative R and D projects funded by the Technology Strategy Board and the EU Research Fund for Coal and Steel.
	In addition, UK Trade and Investment has an ongoing and active programme of support for the UK manufacturing sector, including the steel industry, in partnership with numerous stakeholders. This includes organising UK groups at overseas trade shows, leading targeted trade missions and bringing potential buyers and decision-makers to the UK to see our manufacturing capability first-hand.

Manufacturing Advisory Service: West Midlands

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has for future funding of the manufacturing advisory service, west midlands, following the closure of advantage west midlands.

Mark Prisk: Following the closure of the regional development agencies network from March 2012, the delivery of the manufacturing advisory service (MAS) will be undertaken by a single national provider and is fully funded through to the end of this Parliament.

Motor Vehicles: Industry

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his Department's policy is on support for the motor industry; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Prisk: We have adopted a positive, proactive approach and are working closely with key UK auto companies through the Automotive Council to stimulate new technologies and build stronger supply chains. Automobile manufacturers are bringing production and supply chain contracts back to the UK as evidenced by the recent announcements of new investments by Nissan and BMW. We are determined to help the industry succeed, for example, by setting up the High Value Manufacturing Technology and Innovation Centre, expanding the number of apprenticeships and reducing our rates of corporate tax.

One North East: Assets

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the opportunity costs of the sale on the open market of the assets held by One North East; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Prisk: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 9 June 2011, Official Report, column 431W.

Railways: East Midlands

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the importance of the rail technology industry to (a) the east midlands and (b) Derby;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the (a) industrial, (b) economic and (c) social impact on (i) the east midlands and (ii) Derby of (A) a contraction and (B) an expansion in the rail technology industry.

Mark Prisk: We have made no such assessments. However, information on the capability of the rail supply chain and the enablers and barriers to the efficient operation of that supply chain was submitted to the Sir Roy McNulty review examining value-for-money in the railway industry. The McNulty report entitled “Realising the Potential of GB Rail” was published on 19 May and includes a range of recommendations to improve value for money in the rail industry including with regard to supply chain management. The Government are now considering how the recommendations will feed into wider proposals for reform of the rail industry before the end of the year.
	In addition, the east midlands development agency, and the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Chambers, supported a report—“Planes, trains and automobiles”—commissioned by Derby city council and published in December 2009 that looked at the importance of these sectors to the region.

Trade Promotion

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what information on foreign markets his Department provides to UK companies.

Mark Prisk: UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) is the Government Department that helps UK-based companies succeed in the global economy.
	UKTI provides expert trade advice and practical support to UK-based companies wishing to access overseas markets. Support includes market specific information and is provided in the UK and in-market through UKTI's extensive network of specialists in the UK and in British embassies and other diplomatic offices around the world.
	Specific services include market research, details of overseas business opportunities, participation in trade missions and seminars, opportunities to exhibit at key trade events and access to major buyers, governments and specific supply chains in overseas markets.
	The UKTI website gives initial access to information on UKTI services, including how to contact a local international trade adviser or country-specific contact:
	www.ukti.gov.uk

CABINET OFFICE

Departmental Regulation

Gordon Banks: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what regulations his Department introduced between 1 March 2011 and 31 May 2011; and what the estimated costs of implementation were for those affected in each case.

Francis Maude: No regulations were introduced by the Cabinet Office during the period between 1 March 2011 and 31 May 2011.

Departmental Regulation

Gordon Banks: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the name is of each regulatory measure revoked by his Department between 1 March and 31 May 2011; and what estimate he has made of the potential annual saving to those affected by each revocation.

Francis Maude: No regulatory measures were revoked by the Cabinet Office during the period between 1 March 2011 and 31 May 2011.

Emergencies

Peter Bone: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent assessment he has made of the Government's preparedness for civil emergencies.

Francis Maude: Departments are responsible for ensuring that they and their sponsored sectors have robust contingency plans in place to respond to civil emergencies. The Civil Contingencies Secretariat works closely with them providing support and assistance as necessary. Where gaps are identified, resources are directed to address them on a risk assessed basis. I believe that these arrangements provide a sound basis for emergency preparedness and response within central Government. This has been demonstrated in effective central Government response to a number of recent civil emergencies.

Energy: Prices

Michael Weir: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will request the Office for National Statistics to prepare and publish an index of domestic prices (a) in total and (b) separately for (i) gas and (ii) electricity for each year since 2007.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck  dated 16 June 2011 
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking if the ONS could produce an overall index for domestic prices and also separate indices for gas and electricity for every year since 2007 [PQ60407].
	ONS produces two main measures of consumer inflation, the consumer prices index (CPI) and the retail prices index (RPI). The CPI measures inflation for the UK as a whole whilst the RPI inflation measure covers the vast majority of the UK household sector. The information requested on both bases is given below.
	
		
			 Table 1: CPI and RPI: annual inflation rates for all items,  gas and electricity 
			  CPI RPI 
			  Total Gas Electricity Total Gas Electricity 
			 2007 2.3 7.6 8.0 4.3 7.7 8.0 
			 2008 3.6 19.4 15.6 4.0 19.8 15.6 
			 2009 2.2 13.4 4.6 -0.5 13.7 4.5 
			 2010 3.3 -5.5 -2.5 4.6 -5.9 -2.5 
			 May 2011 4.5 6.4 4.0 5.2 6.2 4.0 
		
	
	You may be interested to know that these data are updated every month and along with further details about the CPI and RPI can be found at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk==868

Government Departments: Disciplinary Proceedings

Caroline Flint: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office on how many occasions the Cabinet Secretary has exercised his responsibilities in respect of Civil Service staff disciplinary matters since May 2010.

Francis Maude: For reasons of confidentiality and trust between an employer and its employees, it would not be appropriate to comment on whether or not the Cabinet Secretary has exercised his responsibilities in respect of civil service staff disciplinary matters.

Pay

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate he has made of the pay gap between women and men in the (a) public and (b) private sector in (i) Wales, (ii) England and (iii) Northern Ireland.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck
	.
	ONS's estimates of gender pay gap are based on median hourly earnings excluding overtime and are provided for employees on adult rates of pay whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence. The median is the value below which 50 per cent of employees fall. It is ONS's preferred measure of average earnings as it is less affected by a relatively small number of very high earners and the skewed distribution of earnings. It therefore gives a better indication of typical earnings than the mean.
	The table presents the information requested on this basis for April 2010, the latest period for which figures are available.
	
		
			 Gender pay gap for employee jobs  (1)   in the public and private sector for Wales, England and Northern Ireland, 2010 
			  Percentage pay difference (women/men) 
			  Full-time Part-time All 
			 Wales    
			 Public 6.8 **10.1 16.8 
			 Private 23.0 0.8 27.9 
			     
			 England    
			 Public 11.7 24.4 20.7 
			 Private 19.8 -2.0 27.3 
			     
			 Northern Ireland    
			 Public -1.5 **-3.1 6.4 
			 Private 16.0 *5.9 21.6 
			 (1 )Median hourly earnings excluding overtime. Employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence. As at April 2010. Guide to quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of a figure, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV—for example, for an average of 200 with a CV of 5%, we would expect the population average to be within the range 180 to 220. Key: CV <=5% * CV of male part-time hourly pay excluding overtime >5% and <=10% ** CV of male part-time hourly pay excluding overtime >10% and <=20%. Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Office for National Statistics.

Public Sector: Manpower

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of public sector jobs in (a) Wales, (b) England and (c) Northern Ireland were held by (i) women and (ii) men on the most recent date for which figures are available.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated June 2011
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what percentage of public sector jobs in (a) Wales, (b) England and (c) Northern Ireland were held by (i) women and (ii) men on the most recent date for which figures are available. (060639)
	Public sector employment statistics for local areas by gender can be calculated from the Annual Population Survey (APS). Table 1 provides the information requested for the most recent APS period, October 2009 to September 2010.
	
		
			 Table 1: Percentage of public sector jobs in Wales, England and Northern Ireland, held by males and females. October 2009-September 2010 
			  Proportions (percentage) 
			  Male Female 
			 Wales 35.4 64.6 
			 England 35.3 64.7 
			 Northern Ireland 34.1 65.9 
			 Source: Annual Population Survey 
		
	
	As with any sample survey, estimates from the APS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Crown Relocations

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many contracts his Department holds with Crown Relocations; and what the (a) purpose and (b) monetary value of each such contract is.

Bob Neill: The Department holds no contracts with Crown Relocations.

Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on how many occasions he has intervened in staff disciplinary matters in his Department since May 2010.

Bob Neill: None. Staff discipline in the Department is a matter for officials, in line with departmental procedures and the terms of the staff handbook.

Departmental Legal Costs

Nick Raynsford: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department spent on external legal advice in (a) February, (b) March, (c) April and (d) May 2011.

Bob Neill: Details of all expenditure over £500 are published, each month, on the Department's website. Information regarding February, March and April 2011 may be viewed via the following links. The information for May 2011 has yet to be published. It is likely this will be available during July 2011. Please note that legal advice is coded under "Legal Consultancy" and "Legal Fees".
	April 2011  s pend
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/spendingdataapr11
	March 2011  s pend
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/spendingdatamar11
	February 2011  s pend
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/spendingdatafeb11
	As I indicated in a previous answer to the right hon. Member, this compares to a comparable spend of £4.8 million in 2009-10.

Departmental Travel

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department has spent on ministerial travel by (a) ministerial car, (b) train, (c) bus, (d) commercial aircraft and (e) private aircraft since May 2010.

Bob Neill: The amounts are as follows (for the period May 2010 to March 2011): ministerial car, £277,690; train, £8,060; and commercial aircraft, £1,109 (including fees and taxes). A further £431 was spent on Oyster cards which may be used for rail or bus travel. There has been no expenditure on private aircraft.
	To provide a comparison, the Department's records show that the following amounts were spent on ministerial travel during the financial year 2009-10: ministerial car, £488,276; train, £18,517(1); commercial aircraft, £4,503(1 )(including fees and taxes). There was no expenditure on private aircraft. Amounts spent on bus travel are not recorded.
	Section 10 of the Ministerial Code provides guidance on travel for Ministers and makes clear that Ministers must ensure that they always make efficient and cost-effective travel arrangements.
	(1 )This excludes travel made prior to July 2009. The Department changed travel supplier in July 2009 and additional information for the period prior to July 2009 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Travel

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much has been spent on travel in respect of (a) each of his Department's executive agencies and (b) the chief executive of each such agency since May 2010.

Bob Neill: Between 1 May 2010 and 30 April 2011 the Department's Executive Agencies have spent the following amounts:
	
		
			 £ 
			 DCLG's Executive Agencies (a) travel (b) Chief executive's travel 
			 Fire Service College(1) 126,490.04 7,359.89 
			 Planning Inspectorate 873,139.27 3,380.10 
			 Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre 22,008.14 87.00 
		
	
	As context, the Department's Executive Agencies spent the following between 1 April 2009 and 31 March 2010.
	
		
			 £ 
			 DCLG's Executive Agencies (a) travel (b) Chief executive's travel 
			 Fire Service College(1) 349,451.00 6,399.59 
			 Planning Inspectorate 1,242,887.76 6,529.02 
			 Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre 28,963.74 89.75 
			 (1) Data include expenditure on both travel and subsistence as spend on travel alone could be made available only at disproportionate cost.

Direct Access Platforms

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what information his Department holds on the number of days on which direct access platforms are unavailable due to servicing issues;
	(2)  how many fire authorities use external servicing for direct access platforms; and what information his Department holds on the costs of such services.

Bob Neill: My Department does not hold such information centrally. The use and maintenance of equipment is a matter for individual fire and rescue authorities.

Domestic Waste: Waste Disposal

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what funding he plans to provide to Manchester City Council to increase the periodicity of refuse collection.

Bob Neill: As set out in the Waste Review the Government will be working with local councils to increase the frequency and quality of rubbish collections and make it easier to recycle, and to tackle measures which encourage councils specifically to cut the scope of collections.
	The Government understand that the public have a reasonable expectation that household waste collection services should be weekly, particularly for smelly waste.
	Waste services are a matter for local authorities to develop fit for purpose local solutions. However the Government believe that better procurement and joint working can improve the efficiency of collections while improving the frontline service for the public in an affordable and practical manner.
	My Department has already moved to remove Audit Commission guidance and inspections which marked down councils who do not adopt fortnightly rubbish collections; and to abolish local area agreements imposed by Whitehall which created perverse incentives to downgrade waste collection services.
	The Government will also work to monitor service levels to understand whether and how they are changing, keeping the quality, affordability and frequency of household waste collections under review.
	We will also be examining the scope for financial incentives to support weekly collections in all their forms.

Fire Services

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department is taking to support fire authorities in reducing the time fire stations are off the run.

Bob Neill: The operational running and maintenance of fire stations are a matter for individual fire and rescue authorities under Integrated Risk Management Planning.

Fire Services: Emergency Calls

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many (a) genuine and (b) malicious fire emergency calls have been received in London in each year since 2004.

Bob Neill: The numbers of genuine and malicious fire emergency calls received by London Fire Brigade in each year since 2004 are shown in the table.
	
		
			 Total emergency calls and malicious false alarms calls to London Fire Brigade 2004-05  (1 )  to 2009-10 
			  2004-05  (1) 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 
			 Malicious false alarms calls n/a 8,607 9,702 9,750 6,022 5,557 
			 Other emergency calls n/a 259,271 256,797 244,554 223,286 214,364 
			 Total emergency calls 266,737 267,878 266,499 254,304 229,308 219,921 
			 (1) Data for malicious/other emergency calls not held centrally prior to 2005-06. Source: London Fire Brigade.

Government Procurement Card

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether Ministers in his Department have been authorised to spend money via Government Procurement Cards since the introduction of the facility.

Bob Neill: Ministers are accountable for all expenditure by the Department.
	No Ministers in the Department hold Government Procurement Cards. Ministerial private offices retain a small number of cards for expenditure in connection with official business.
	My Department is committed to greater transparency over the use of the Government Procurement Card than under the last administration, and has strengthened checks and balances to ensure protection of taxpayers' money.

IBM

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many contracts his Department holds with IBM; and what the (a) purpose and (b) monetary value of each such contract is.

Bob Neill: The Department holds no contracts with IBM.

Land: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what sites in (a) Peterborough and (b) North West Cambridgeshire constituency will be included in the Home and Communities Agency's development and land disposal strategy; and if he will make a statement.

Grant Shapps: The Homes and Communities Agency's land disposal strategy sets out the principles that will be applied when disposing of any assets held by the Agency. A full list of those assets is available on the Agency's website including any sites owned in Peterborough and the local authority areas that fall within the North West Cambridgeshire constituency.
	http://www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/land-and-property-assets

Leasehold: Peverel Group

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the potential effect on regulations governing leasehold of the entry into administration of the Peverel Group.

Andrew Stunell: I cannot comment on the situation regarding the Peverel Group and the holding companies that have been placed into administration. The entry of any company into administration does not affect the legislation governing the sector.
	Residents' service charges should not be at risk in such situations as they are deemed by law to be held in trust and should not be used to pay creditors.
	Companies in the Peverel Group which belong either to the Association of Residential Managing Agents or the Association of Retirement Housing Managers are required to adhere to the two Codes of Management Practice approved by the Secretary of State.

Planning Permission: Appeals

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many planning appeals have been submitted because of non-determination by each local planning authority in (a) Gloucestershire and (b) England in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: holding answer 10 June 2011
	The following table shows the numbers of appeals submitted because of non-determination by all planning authorities as a total in England and individually by each planning authority in Gloucestershire in each of the last five financial years.
	
		
			 Appeals submitted because of non-determination 
			 Period England Cheltenham Cotswold Forest of Dean Gloucester Stroud Tewkesbury 
			 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007 874 2 0 1 0 2 2 
			 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008 846 0 2 1 1 4 8 
			 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009 726 0 3 2 (1)26 0 6 
			 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010 480 1 2 1 1 2 4 
			 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011 563 0 1 1 0 2 2 
			 (1) This figure includes 24 separate appeals relating to the removal of conditions attached to an outline planning permission granted in the previous year.

Serco

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many contracts his Department holds with SERCO; and what the (a) purpose and (b) monetary value of each such contract is.

Bob Neill: The Department for Communities and Local Government holds a contract with Serco for the IT system and for the operational and support services of the development, implementation and maintenance of the Homeowners Mortgage Support scheme. The contract was for two years and is due to finish at the end of June 2011. The costs to this date are approximately £588,376 (excluding VAT).

Travellers: Planning Permission

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he is taking to ensure that Traveller and Gypsy groups do not receive preferential treatment in securing planning permission for the retrospective construction of residential dwellings in open countryside.

Bob Neill: The Government wants to see fair play in the planning system with everyone being treated equally and even-handedly. It is important that local authorities plan for the needs of their communities, including Travellers, but we will not tolerate abuse of the planning system by anyone. The Localism Bill sets out proposals to limit the opportunities for retrospective planning applications, in relation to any form of unauthorised development.
	We are currently consulting on changes to planning policy on Travellers which proposes to increase protection of green belt and the open countryside.
	We have also brought forward a number of measures in the Localism Bill that strengthen the powers that local authorities have to enforce against breaches of planning control.

Waste Disposal: Finance

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he has any plans to provide additional funding as part of (a) the 2011-12 local government financial settlement and (b) future local government financial settlements to assist with costs of refuse collection and disposal.

Bob Neill: As set out in the Waste Review the Government will be working with local councils to increase the frequency and quality of rubbish collections and make it easier to recycle, and to tackle measures which encourage councils specifically to cut the scope of collections.
	The Government understand that the public have a reasonable expectation that household waste collections services should be weekly, particularly for smelly waste.
	Waste services are a matter for local authorities to develop fit for purpose local solutions. However the Government believe that better procurement and joint working can improve the efficiency of collections while improving the frontline service for the public in an affordable and practical manner.
	My Department has already moved to remove Audit Commission guidance and inspections which marked down councils who do not adopt fortnightly rubbish collections; and to abolish local area agreements imposed by Whitehall which created perverse incentives to downgrade waste collection services.
	The Government will also work to monitor service levels to understand whether and how they are changing, keeping the quality, affordability and frequency of household waste collections under review.
	We will also be examining the scope for financial incentives to support weekly collections in all their forms.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Broadband

Brian H Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  when he plans to announce the allocation of funds for broadband projects in Scotland; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effects of the implementation of his proposals for the provision of high speed broadband on the growth of rural enterprises;
	(3)  what recent discussions he has had with (a) Members of the Scottish Parliament and (b) Broadband Delivery UK on the process of devolving responsibility for high speed broadband provision; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  what steps his Department plans to take in relation to local authorities who do not meet targets for the provision of high speed broadband by 2015; and if he will make a statement;
	(5)  what steps his Department plans to take to ensure universal access to high speed broadband.

Edward Vaizey: As I said on 27 May when announcing the locations of the next wave of projects to receive Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) funding, I intend to announce allocations for all three devolved administrations and English county councils in the near future. My officials are working with the Scottish Government and the other devolved administrations on their broadband plans. I have not had any recent discussions on broadband with Members of the Scottish Parliament.
	The impact of broadband on business growth is well documented in publicly available studies. I have not made any new assessment of the impact of broadband on growth of rural enterprises.
	We will be working with the Scottish Government and the other devolved administrations, as well as English county councils and other local authorities, to ensure that their local broadband plans are capable of meeting our ambition of having 90% of the population with access to superfast broadband in every local area with the rest having access to a service of at least 2 Mbps by 2015. The devolved administrations and English local authorities are showing a high degree of interest in broadband rollout.
	The Government's broadband strategy was published in December 2010 in a document entitled “Britain's Superfast Broadband Future”, which can be accessed on the broadband pages of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport website:
	www.culture.gov.uk
	This sets out the policy and regulatory interventions planned which are aimed at facilitating private sector rollout of broadband networks in addition to outlining the approach we are taking to using the £530 million of public funds available to support broadband rollout up to 2015.

Broadcasting Programmes: Urban Areas

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether Ofcom provides guidance to broadcasters on the depiction of specific cities.

Edward Vaizey: The matter raised is an operational one for the independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which is accountable to Parliament rather than Ministers. Accordingly, my officials spoke to Ofcom, who advised:
	Ofcom issues no specific guidance on how cities should be depicted. However, the Fairness provisions of Ofcom's Broadcasting Code contain practices that broadcasters should follow when dealing with individuals or organisations participating in or otherwise directly affected by programmes as broadcast. These provisions state that broadcasters must avoid unjust or unfair treatment of individuals or organisations, and this will include cities where appropriate.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what strategic framework his Department has developed for the delivery of its core functions during the comprehensive spending review period.

Jeremy Hunt: The Department's Business Plan provides the strategic framework for the delivery of its core functions during the spending review period. This can be found at the following link:
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/publications/7545.aspx
	Progress against the Plan is set out in the Structural Reform Plan monthly updates and the forthcoming Quarterly Data Summary, to be published on the Department's website.

Gambling

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 23 May 2011, Official Report, columns 349-50W, on gambling, what funding his Department provided for research, education and treatment of problem gambling in each year since 2005; and if he will estimate the level of funding for such activities from industry in each of those years.

John Penrose: For each of the years between 2006-07 and 2010-11 the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) provided grant in aid to the Gambling Commission to be used for gambling research, primarily the British Gambling Prevalence Surveys for 2007 and 2010, but did not fund education and treatment. In 2005-06, when the Gambling Commission took on the responsibilities of its predecessor, the Gaming Board for Great Britain, a small proportion of the grant in aid received from DCMS was spent on gambling research but a detailed breakdown can be provided only at disproportionate cost. The following table sets out the Department's provision for gambling research and industry contributions to research, education and treatment.
	
		
			 £ million 
			  Industry funding  (1) Grant in aid 
			 2005-06 2.16 (2)— 
			 2006-07 2.96 0.5 
			 2007-08 3.44 0.5 
			 2008-09 3.5 0.5 
			 2009-10 5 0.5 
			 2010-11 (3)5 0.48 
			 (1) Funding to RIGT (Responsibility in Gambling Trust) and Great (The Great Foundation) for research, education and treatment.  (2) Not available.  (3) Provisional figure.

Gambling

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 23 May 2011, Official Report, column 349W, on gambling, if he will place in the Library a copy of the written representation from the Association of British Bookmakers.

John Penrose: It is not the Department's usual practice to publish correspondence other than when it is in response to public consultation.

Prisons: Television

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will review the exemption from the television licence fee for prisoners with in-cell televisions.

Edward Vaizey: There are no plans to review the Crown exemption from the television licensing requirements of the Communications Act 2003. The interpretation and application of the legislation on TV licensing is the responsibility of the BBC.

Public Libraries: Closures

Jim Dowd: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had with local authorities on the use of surplus books arising from the closure of public libraries.

Edward Vaizey: The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport has a statutory duty under the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 to ensure that public library authorities in England provide a “comprehensive and efficient” library service in accordance with their statutory duties under the 1964 Act. The manner in which the “comprehensive and efficient” library service is managed and delivered, including decisions relating to the use or disposal of surplus stock, is for local authorities to determine. I have had no discussions with local authorities on this issue.

Religious Buildings: East of England

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to support the architectural heritage of ecclesiastical buildings in (a) Peterborough and (b) the East of England; and if he will make a statement.

John Penrose: The Government supports the architectural heritage of ecclesiastical buildings in Peterborough and the East of England in a number of ways.
	The Department for Culture, Media and Sport operates the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme which makes a contribution towards the VAT incurred in making repairs to the listed places of worship of any faith or denomination.
	In partnership with the Church Commissioners, the Department funds the Churches Conservation Trust (CCT) which cares for the most significant Church of England churches no longer needed for regular worship. In the 2010-11 financial year, CCT spent £97,000 on repairing and maintaining its churches in the Diocese of Peterborough and £500,000 in total on churches in East Anglia.
	The running and maintenance of relevant English Heritage and Heritage Lottery Fund schemes are their responsibility. I have therefore asked their chief executives to consider the question raised by the hon. Member for Peterborough and to write to him direct. Copies of their replies will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Telecommunications

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how many hon. Members have contacted his Department in relation to video relay services in the last (a) six and (b) 12 months;
	(2)  how many items of correspondence his Department received from hon. Members on video relay services in the last (a) six and (b) 12 months.

Edward Vaizey: The Department has received approximately 180 items of correspondence on this subject from hon. Members over the last 12 months. Over 95% of these have been received in the last six months.
	In addition, there have been seven parliamentary questions tabled by hon. Members regarding video relay services, all within the last six months.

Telecommunications: Hearing Impairment

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what representations he has received from members of the deaf community on relay services in the last 12 months.

Edward Vaizey: The Department has received approximately 200 items of correspondence on this subject over the last 12 months. Of these, around 180 have been from hon. Members on behalf of constituent members of the deaf community, and 20 have been from members of the public and deaf community directly. I have also met a constituent personally to discuss the issue, and have had meetings with a number of voluntary organisations who are members of the eAccessibility Forum to discuss their concerns around access to relay services for the deaf community in the UK.

Telecommunications: Hearing Impairment

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what discussions his Department has had with (a) the Cabinet Office, (b) 10 Downing Street, (c) the Government Equalities Office, (d)  the Department for Work and Pensions, (e) the Ministry of Justice and (f) HM Treasury on access to telecommunications for users of British Sign Language.

Edward Vaizey: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has held four EU Framework Implementation workshops over the last 12 months, with officials in (a) Cabinet Office, (c) the Government Equalities Office, (d) the Department for Work and Pensions, (e) the Ministry of Justice and (f) HM Treasury, to discuss the issue of access to telecommunications for users of British Sign Language (BSL) under the UK's implementation of the EU framework review under Article 23a of the universal service directive which states that disabled and older people should have equivalent access to services and products.
	The eAccessibility Forum has held four meetings over the last 12 months where the issue of access to telecommunications services for users of British Sign Language (BSL) has been presented and discussed by members from industry and the third sector. These meetings also included the following Departments (a) Cabinet Office, (c) the Government Equalities Office, (d) the Department for Work and Pensions, and (e) the Ministry of Justice. The eAccessibility Forum continues to work with Ofcom to look at Article 23a and what equivalence of service and products would look like for disabled and older people in the UK as well as supporting deaf, deaf/blind and hard of hearing telecoms users by pursuing the duty to promote the availability of terminal equipment suitable for disabled end users. This includes access to telecommunications equipment for users of British Sign Language (BSL).
	The eAccessibility Action plan is a key tool to develop further government policy in this area, and to provide government, business and other organisations with the right tools to enable everyone to contribute to the UK digital economy.

Telecommunications: Hearing Impairment

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what plans he has to extend access to telecommunications for users of British Sign Language to local communities following the publication of the Ofcom Relay Services Review.

Edward Vaizey: The Government strongly supported the introduction of Article 23a into the revised Universal Service Directive, and its clarification of powers for National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs) to specify, where appropriate, requirements to be met by undertakings providing electronic networks and services in relation to equivalence in access and choice for disabled end-users. To implement these revisions the Government have effected changes to the Communications Act 2003 that enable Ofcom to specify, where appropriate, requirements to be met by undertakings providing publicly available electronic communication services.
	Separately, and in line with their responsibilities to further the interests of citizens and consumers, Ofcom, the independent telecoms regulator, is currently undertaking a review of relay service provision in the UK. The objectives of this review are to assess whether current arrangements are adequate in delivering equivalence to voice telephony for hearing (including BSL users) and speech impaired end-users. This review will look at, among other things, the existing text relay service and additional relay services including video relay and captioned telephony. It will also include a cost benefit analysis of the different potential options. The Government believe this is an appropriate and sensible way forward. However, it would be inappropriate to speculate on the outcome of that review or attempt to influence its conclusions.

Telecommunications: Ofcom

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with Ofcom on the timetable for Ofcom's review of relay services.

Edward Vaizey: The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport has not met with Ofcom to discuss the timetable for their review of relay services.
	However, officials have met with Ofcom both to discuss implementation of the revised EU Electronic Communications Framework, and in particular Article 23a of the Universal Services Directive which provides new powers to Ofcom to act on the outcome of their current review; and more generally to discuss the Ofcom review of relay services. Some of these discussions have been in the context of the e-Accessibility Forum.

Telecommunications: Ofcom

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what (a) reports, (b) consultations, (c) market research and (d) other publications Ofcom issued on relay services in each of the last 10 years.

Edward Vaizey: There are references to relay services in the following Ofcom publications, although there has not been an Ofcom review of, or consultation on, relay services during this time.
	Consultations/statements
	Universal Service Obligation consultation document (January 2005)
	Universal Service Obligation statement and further consultation (June 2005)
	Universal Service Obligation statement (March 2006)
	Access and Inclusion consultation document (March 2009)
	Research
	Universal Service Obligation: Deaf and hearing impaired consumers and text phone services (2004)
	Feasibility of Additional Telephone Relay Services (2006)
	Captioned Telephony—extension of 2006 research report (January 2008)
	Voice telephony services for deaf people (July 2009)
	Ofcom relay services (market research in support of current review of relay services) (February 2011).

Telecommunications: Ofcom

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what meetings Ministers and officials in his Department have had with Ofcom on relay services in the last 12 months.

Edward Vaizey: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has held four EU Framework Implementation stakeholder engagement events over the last twelve months. These were attended by officials from across Whitehall including officials from Cabinet Office, the Government Equalities Office, the Department for Work and Pensions and the Ministry of Justice. These events were held to discuss, among aspects of implementation, the issue of access to telecommunications for users of British Sign Language (BSL) and implementation of the EU framework review including Article 23a of the universal service directive and its provisions which relate to access and choice for disabled and older people.
	In addition, the eAccessibility Forum has held four meetings over the last 12 months where the issue of access to telecommunications services for users of British Sign Language (BSL) has been presented and discussed by members from industry and the third sector. These meetings also included representatives from the Cabinet Office, the Government Equalities Office, the Department for Work and Pensions, and the Ministry of Justice. The eAccessibility Forum continues to work with Ofcom to look at Article 23a and what equivalence of service and products would look like for disabled and older people in the UK as well as supporting deaf, deaf/blind and hard of hearing telecoms users by pursuing the duty to promote the availability of terminal equipment suitable for disabled end users. This includes access to telecommunications equipment for users of British Sign Language (BSL).
	The eAccessibility action plan is a key tool to develop further government policy in this area, and to provide government, business and other organisations with the right tools to enable everyone to contribute to the UK digital economy.

DEFENCE

Arms Trade: Exports

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assistance his Department has provided for the export of weapons in each of the last two financial years.

Gerald Howarth: Support to defence exports is a top priority. We are working closely with the UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation (UKTI DSO) and industry to increase the UK's share of the defence market.
	The Ministry of Defence business plan set out our priorities to promote defence exports consistent with export control criteria; as part of a defence diplomacy programme to strengthen British influence and to help sustain high technology jobs in Britain's defence industry.
	Every Minister travelling overseas is charged with the task of promoting Britain, including its defence exports. The Department has supported UKTI DSO export campaigns through demonstrations and engagement with potential overseas customer governments, including on Typhoon. Our Departmental Annual Report, which will be published in mid July, will include a section on defence exports.

EDUCATION

Pupil Exclusions

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils were excluded permanently from schools in (a) East Sussex, (b) Brighton and Hove, (c) Brighton, Kemptown constituency and (d) West Sussex in each of the last five years.

Nick Gibb: The requested information is shown in the tables.
	
		
			 Maintained primary, state-funded secondary and special schools  (1, 2, 3)  . Number of permanent exclusions  (4)   2004/05 to 2008/09. East Sussex, Brighton and Hove and West Sussex local authorities and Brighton Kemptown parliamentary constituency 
			  Maintained primary, state-funded secondary and special schools 
			  2004/05 2005/0  6 2006/07 
			  Number of permanent exclusions Percentage of school population  (5) Number of permanent exclusions Percentage of school population  (5) Number of permanent exclusions Percentage of school population  (5) 
			 East Sussex local authority 110 0.16 100 0.15 60 0.09 
			 Brighton and Hove local authority 40 0.13 50 0.15 20 0.06 
			 West Sussex local authority 160 0.15 170 0.16 130 0.13 
			        
			 Brighton, Kemptown parliamentary constituency 20 0.28 20 0.19 10 0.09 
		
	
	
		
			  Maintained primary, state-funded secondary and special schools 
			  2007/08 2008/09 
			  Number of permanent exclusions Percentage of school population (5) Number of permanent exclusions Percentage of school population (5) 
			 East Sussex local authority 60 0.09 60 0.10 
			 Brighton and Hove local authority 10 0.03 (6)— (6)— 
			 West Sussex local authority 150 0.15 90 0.08 
			      
			 Brighton, Kemptown parliamentary constituency (6)— (6)— (6)— (6)— 
		
	
	
		
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed (2) Includes city technology colleges and academies (including all-through academies). (3) Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools. Excludes general hospital schools. (4) Figures for the local authority are as confirmed by local authorities as part of a data checking exercise, figures for the constituency are as provided by schools. (5) The number of permanent exclusions expressed as a percentage of the number (headcount) of pupils (excluding dually registered pupils). (6) Less than 5, or a percentage based on less than 5. Note: Numbers have been rounded lo the nearest 10. Source: School Census

Schools: First Aid

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the adequacy of teaching of emergency life support in schools; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: The July 2010 Ofsted report on personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education found that teaching was good or outstanding in over three quarters of the schools visited. It did not identify the teaching of emergency life support as an area of weakness.
	The national PSHE framework currently includes teaching primary school pupils about basic emergency procedures and where to get help. The Ofsted report uses the Heartstart course in one primary school as a case study of effective practice. The course has been developed from the British Heart Foundation's Heartstart Programme and teaches young people the skills needed in a life threatening emergency which include making a 999 call, placing someone in the recovery position, or performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
	At secondary level, pupils are currently taught to develop the skills to cope with emergency situations that require basic first aid procedures, including, at ages 15-16, resuscitation techniques. Ofsted inspectors commented on one school that had responded to views expressed in a school survey and introduced a first aid course for all pupils.
	This assessment demonstrates that schools are well placed to take decisions about how best to teach pupils about important life skills, including the teaching of emergency life support.

Schools: Hearing Impairment

Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what funding his Department provides for schools for the hearing impaired towards the costs of hiring interpreters.

Sarah Teather: The Department for Education does not provide specific funding for hiring interpreters, nor does it collect information about expenditure on particular services provided in schools. In 2010-11, local authority planned net expenditure on 979 maintained special schools, including 310 schools approved for the education of pupils with hearing impairments, was just under £1.642 billion.

Sixth Form Colleges

Julie Elliott: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many young people entered formal post-16 education in sixth forms in (a) 2000 and (b) 2009.

Nick Gibb: Data on participation in education post-16 are published in a Department for Education (DFE) Statistical First Release (SFR) entitled "Participation in Education, Training and Employment by 16-18 Year Olds in England".
	The following table shows the numbers and proportions of the cohort of young people of academic age 16 (the vast majority of whom will be in their first year of post-compulsory education) who were participating in education, by institution type, in 2000 and 2009.
	
		
			 Participation in education at academic age 16 by institution type, end 2000 and end 2009 
			  2000 2009 
			  Number Percentage Number Percentage 
			 Maintained schools(1) 174,726 28.8 209,979 33.0 
			 Academies and City Technology Colleges 1,981 0.3 12,496 2.0 
			 Independent schools(2) 35,585 5.9 38,689 6.1 
			 Sixth form colleges 58,005 9.6 75,498 11.9 
			 General FE, tertiary and specialist colleges 188,052 31.0 228,851 35.9 
			 Higher education institutions 2,413 0.4 2,441 0.4 
			 Total 460,762 75.9 567,954 89.2 
			 Population 606,706  636,956  
			 (1) Includes all pupils in maintained schools and maintained special schools and pupil referral units. (2) Includes all pupils in independent schools, non-maintained special schools.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate Change

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what his policy is on (a) supporting and (b) funding innovative action on climate change by local authorities.

Gregory Barker: Local authorities are uniquely placed to provide leadership and vision on climate change action in their local communities. Many are enthusiastic about playing their part in meeting national carbon mitigation targets and have already set in place stretching ambitions and policies for emissions in their area—and are making a difference.
	In order to help build capacity and support innovation DECC funded a £2.5 million Local Carbon Frameworks pilot programme in 2010-11 and we plan to publish the findings from that later this year. The recently signed Memorandum of Understanding between DECC and the Local Government Group also supports robust, self regulated action on carbon reduction. And we are working with local government to ensure that all local authorities support the roll out of the Green Deal across their areas.

Climate Change

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the likely effect of the abolition of National Indicator 186 on the number of local authorities taking action on climate change.

Gregory Barker: No assessment has been carried out. The data which were previously known as National Indicator 186 continue to be collected as part of our standard collection of national statistics. They are published at:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/statistics/indicators/ni186/ni186.aspx

Climate Change: Exports

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department has provided information to UK Trade and Investment on the effects on climate change of the businesses supported by UK Trade and Investment.

Gregory Barker: DECC has not provided information directly to UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) on the effects on climate change of the businesses supported by UKTI. However DECC does publish analysis of the contribution of individual sectors to climate change, which is available to UKTI in considering the impact of companies within these sectors.

Energy: Housing

Robert Buckland: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will take steps to ensure that small and medium-sized enterprises have access to the Green Deal market.

Gregory Barker: SMEs will play a significant part in the delivery of the Green Deal. If the Green Deal is to serve homeowners and businesses well, it is essential that there is a competitive market for all aspects of Green Deal delivery—as Green Deal providers, assessors, installers or product suppliers.
	As such, we are designing the Green Deal framework to place the minimum administrative burdens on organisations as possible, while ensuring the necessary consumer protections are in place. For example, where possible we will build on existing accreditation schemes and improve established assessment methodologies that are already understood by industry.
	This is an opportunity for SMEs as much as for large installers and each will need to find their unique selling point. Provided SMEs meet the required standards, they will be able to compete in this growing market.
	We also wish to ensure Green Deal providers who are able to deliver cost-effectively have access to funding through the new Energy Company Obligation (ECO). This will enable all providers who reach the accreditation standards to compete fairly with energy companies' energy services arms. To this end, we are designing the ECO to operate as simply as possible so as not to inadvertently block the emergence of a diverse and dynamic market.

Energy: Manufacturing Industries

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the effects of energy policy on UK manufacturers;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effects of energy policy on small and medium-sized enterprises.

Charles Hendry: DECC's assessment of the impact of energy and climate change policies on gas and electricity prices and bills was published alongside the Annual Energy Statement (AES) in July 2010. The headline messages were that energy and climate change policies were:
	Adding 6% to the average gas price and 20% to the average electricity price paid by medium-sized non-domestic users(1) in 2010, rising to 24% and 43%, respectively, in 2020.
	Adding 5% to the average gas bill and 19% to the average electricity bill and 14% to the average energy (gas plus electricity) bill paid by medium-sized non-domestic users in 2010, rising to 20%, 29% and 26%, respectively, in 2020.
	The above impacts are consistent with a wholesale gas price of around 70p/therm in 2020.(2 )Under a higher gas price scenario, the impact of the same policies on bills is estimated to be lower. For example, at a gas price of around 120p/therm in 2020, the impact of these policies is estimated to be 13% (instead of 26%) on the average energy bill faced by these users, compared to a bill in 2020 in the absence of these policies.
	The largest component of energy bills is wholesale energy costs—based primarily on the price of natural gas. Reducing our dependence on fossil fuels will help reduce the exposure that energy consumers have to volatile movements in international fossil fuel prices, as well as making our energy supplies more secure.
	The above estimates do not include the subsequent announcements that the Renewable Heat Incentive and the Carbon Capture and Storage demonstrations would be funded through general taxation rather than a levy on gas and electricity prices, the introduction of a Carbon Price Floor, or the potential impacts of the Government's Electricity Market Reform proposals.
	An updated assessment, including these announced policy changes, will be published alongside the next AES and will include an assessment of the impacts of energy and climate change policies on gas and electricity prices and bills paid by illustrative large energy intensive industrial users.
	In terms of other effects, energy and climate change policies are also helping UK businesses to become more energy efficient, to invest in low carbon innovation and to compete in the growing international market for low carbon products.
	(1) Non-domestic energy consumers include industry, transport, public administration, commercial and agriculture. A medium-sized gas user is defined by an annual consumption of between 2,228MWh and 27,777MWh of gas. A medium-sized electricity user is defined by an annual consumption of between 2,000 and 19,999MWh of electricity (both based on Eurostat definitions). The midpoints of these ranges were used for our analysis.
	(2) Real 2009 prices.

Energy: Prices

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent assessment he has made of the effects on levels of fuel poverty of recent changes in domestic energy prices.

Gregory Barker: No formal assessments of the effects of recent changes in domestic energy prices on fuel poverty levels have yet been undertaken.
	The recent changes in domestic energy prices on fuel poverty will lead to upward pressure on fuel poverty in 2011. Nevertheless, the true effect will be known only when we have full information on price changes from all suppliers and the English Housing Survey (EHS). The EHS provides vital information for calculating the level of fuel poverty, including the mix of domestic fuels used by households, the income of those living in the households and the energy efficiency of the housing stock. Each of the devolved Administrations manage equivalent surveys with the same range of information as fuel poverty is a devolved statistic.
	However, an assessment of the likely impact of all changes for England will be made on 14 July 2011 when DECC will publish 2011 projections of fuel poverty for England.

Energy: Prices

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps he plans to take to assess the effects on (a) payment method preference, (b) levels of debt and (c) levels of disconnections of domestic energy consumers of (i) recent and (ii) future energy prices; and what funding his Department has provided for energy efficiency advice and information for consumers in the latest period for which figures are available.

Charles Hendry: In order to meet its principal duty to protect the interests of consumers, Ofgem collects and monitors data on debt and disconnection and areas which affect vulnerable consumers, including payment method preference such as prepayment meters. It uses this information to help assess supplier performance and prioritise its future work.
	In 2011-12, DECC is core grant funding the Energy Saving Trust with a total of £16.5 million. A large proportion of this is to provide energy efficiency advice and information for consumers.
	Funding for the Warm Front Scheme in 2011-12 is £108 million. Under the Scheme, eligible applicants are provided with heating and insulation measures and energy efficiency advice.

Energy: Prices

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent discussions he has had with Ofgem on its response to recent changes in the cost of energy for domestic use; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Hendry: DECC Ministers and officials meet with Ofgem on a regular basis to discuss market issues.
	Consumers deserve the best possible deal, which means rough and tough competition in the marketplace. We are cutting red tape for smaller suppliers to boost competition in retail markets, while Ofgem is tackling other barriers to effective competition (such as tariff complexity and low wholesale market liquidity) in its Retail Market Review. While greater competition should put pressure on prices consumers should also regularly evaluate the best deal on the market.
	Government are also taking a range of actions to increase people's control over their energy bills through energy efficiency, including the Green Deal, and better information.

Energy: Prices

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effects on levels of fuel poverty of recent changes in the level of utility prices; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: No formal assessments of the effects of recent changes in domestic energy prices on fuel poverty levels have yet been undertaken.
	The recent changes in domestic energy prices on fuel poverty will lead to upward pressure on fuel poverty in 2011. Nevertheless, the true effect will only be known when we have full information on price changes from all suppliers and the English Housing Survey (EHS) data for 2011. The EHS provides vital information for calculating the level of fuel poverty, including the mix of domestic fuels used by households, the income of those living in the households and the energy efficiency of the housing stock.
	However, an assessment of the likely impact of all changes will be made on 14 July 2011 when DECC will publish 2011 projections of fuel poverty for England.

Energy: Prices

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent discussions he has had with utility companies on changes in utility prices; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Hendry: DECC Ministers and officials meet with energy suppliers on a regular basis to discuss market issues.
	Consumers deserve the best possible deal, which means rough and tough competition in the marketplace. We are cutting red tape for smaller suppliers to boost competition in retail markets, while Ofgem is tackling other barriers to effective competition (such as tariff complexity and low wholesale market liquidity) in its Retail Market Review. While greater competition should put pressure on prices consumers should also regularly evaluate the best deal on the market.

EU Structural Funds

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will make representations to the European Commission on the allocation of funding from EU Structural Funds.

Gregory Barker: The Government's representations to the European Commission on funding from the EU structural funds, and indeed on all funding from the EU Budget, in both the annual budget and multi-annual financial framework process is led by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Government believe that funding for climate change should make-up a larger share of a smaller budget in the next multi-annual financial framework, and that climate change objectives should be funded through existing headings, including the EU structural funds. The Government will continue to make this case to the European Commission.

Fuel Poverty

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  how many households in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland were living in fuel poverty in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many low-income households with children are classified as living in fuel poverty in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland;
	(3)  how many pensioner households are classified as living in fuel poverty in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland;
	(4)  how many households with individuals registered as disabled are classified as living in fuel poverty in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland;
	(5)  what information his Department holds on the number of Scottish households in fuel poverty in (a) the private rented sector, (b) local authority housing, (c) social housing and (d) owner-occupied housing in each of the last five years.

Gregory Barker: Fuel poverty is a devolved measurement and each country of the UK is responsible for measuring the number of fuel poor households in their own country.
	The following table shows the number of fuel poor households in each year since 2005 for which they have been measured:
	
		
			 Thousand 
			  2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 
			 England 1,529 2,432 2,823 3,335 * 
			 Scotland 419 543 586 618 770 
			 Wales n/a n/a n/a 332 n/a 
			 Northern Ireland n/a 226 n/a n/a 302 
		
	
	2009 fuel poverty figures for England will be published on 14 July 2011. Figures for Wales and Northern Ireland are not produced every year.
	Detailed numbers of fuel poor households shown in answer to other questions are derived from the most recent data available in each country.
	In 2008, in England, there were around 394,000 fuel poor households with income in the lowest three decile groups that contained a child under the age of 16. Using a similar definition in Scotland, in 2009, there were around 46,000 low income households containing children that were fuel poor and around 29,000 corresponding households in Wales. Figures are not available for Northern Ireland.
	In England in 2008, around 1.72 million fuel poor households contained somebody aged 60 or over. In Scotland, in 2009, around 497,000 fuel poor households contained somebody aged 60 or over. In Wales in 2008, around 183,000 fuel poor households contained somebody aged 60 or over. Figures are not available for Northern Ireland.
	In England in 2008, around 1.29 million fuel poor households contained somebody who was long-term ill or disabled. The corresponding figure for Scotland in 2009 was around 309,000 and in Wales, in 2008, around 160,000 households. Figures are not available for Northern Ireland.
	The Scottish Government hold information on the number of fuel poor households in Scotland by tenure. The Department has sourced the data from them and this is displayed as follows:
	
		
			 Thousand 
			 Households 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 
			 Owner occupied 298 379 362 371 485 
			 Local authority/other public 45 81 116 97 138 
			 HA/co-op 46 42 54 88 80 
			 Private rented sector 31 41 53 62 63

Hydroelectric Power

Marcus Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  whether his Department has considered any proposals to develop hydropower facilities on the River Thames;
	(2)  whether the evaluation of the Romney Weir hydroelectric power project has been completed.

Charles Hendry: It is for the Environment Agency and the relevant local authorities rather than DECC to consider proposals to develop small hydropower schemes.
	I understand that the Romney Weir hydropower scheme is due to be completed in October this year. The evaluation of the scheme required by the Environment Agency will include some pre-completion survey work. Once the scheme is operational, there will be monitoring of the geomorphology. The new fish pass will be monitored to assess fish passage across the weir as part of the overall assessment of the scheme.

Insulation: Housing

Aidan Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent steps his Department has taken to assist low income homeowners in properties without cavity wall insulation to make their houses more energy efficient.

Gregory Barker: In preparation for the Green Deal, the Government have restructured and extended the Carbon Emission Reduction Target (CERT) to December 2012, providing a greater focus on targeting energy efficiency measures at the poorest and most vulnerable households. This will result in an estimated 1 million households in the 'priority' and 'super priority' groups receiving cavity wall insulation.
	In addition, the Community Energy Saving Programme (CESP) drives the delivery of whole house retrofits to improve the energy efficiency of homes in low income areas and the Warm Front scheme, which will continue for a further two years, provides assistance to fuel poor households through the installation of heating and insulation measures.

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will make representations to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on the compatibility of the decision on confidentiality in respect of IPCC processes and procedures taken at the 33rd session of the IPCC with article 2 of the Principles Governing IPCC Work.

Gregory Barker: The Government consider that the IPCC decision is consistent with the Principles Governing IPCC Work. As part of the ongoing work of the Task Group on Processes and Procedures, the IPCC agreed to develop transparency and openness further by taking forward discussions of ways to widen expert comments in the development of IPCC reports. My officials will participate fully in these discussions.

Natural Gas: Exploration

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 8 June 2011, Official Report, column 347W, on natural gas: exploration, if he will publish the results of the geomechanical study on the recent seismic tremors near Blackpool upon completion; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Hendry: This geomechanical study, which commenced recently, is expected to take 30-60 days. Upon completion I anticipate that the results will be published and, as I have already indicated, the implications of this information will be reviewed before any decision on the resumption of hydraulic fracture operations is made.

Natural Gas: Exploration

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 10 June 2011, Official Report, column 549W, on natural gas exploration, whether he has any plans to meet (a) the Health and Safety Executive and (b) environment agencies to discuss unconventional gas.

Charles Hendry: I have no current plans to meet these organisations, but my officials have a regular dialogue with the Health and Safety Executive and the environment agencies regarding natural gas exploration.

Renewables Obligation

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he plans to publish (a) the details of the Renewables Obligation banding review and (b) the date of publication of the report of the review.

Gregory Barker: The first phase of the Renewables Obligation banding review, the independent report carried out by Arup on generation costs and deployment potential across the renewables electricity sector, was published on 10 June 2011. A copy of Arup's report is available on DECC's website at the following location:
	www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/meeting_energy/Renewable_Ener/renew_obs/renew_obs.aspx
	We will publish the consultation, which will include the proposed ROC levels for the various technologies, later this summer. The Government response to the RO banding review consultation will be issued before the end of the year. This will contain the finalised banding levels to be introduced from April 2013 (April 2014 for offshore wind).

Windpower

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent estimate his Department has made of the cost-effectiveness of onshore wind power.

Charles Hendry: Using the findings from Arup (2011)(1), DECC have calculated the cost per MWh of electricity generated by small (<5 MW) and large scale (>5 MW) onshore wind power.
	(1) Arup (2011), Review of the generation costs and deployment potential of renewable electricity technologies in the UK, can be found at:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/news/pnl1_47/pnl1_47.aspx
	These costs are expected to reduce over time. Onshore wind is one of the most cost-effective sources of renewable electricity.
	The table compares the cost per MWh of onshore wind to the cost per MWh of non-renewable electricity generation from Mott Macdonald (2010)(2). Costs are expected to reduce over time for nuclear and CCS technologies as they are deployed more widely and the technologies mature. The costs of unabated fossil plant are estimated to increase over time driven by higher future carbon prices.
	(2) Mott Macdonald (2010), UK Electricity Generation Costs Update, can be found at:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/Statistics/Projections/71-uk-electricity-generation-costs-update-.pdf
	
		
			  Levelised costs £/MWh 
			 Onshore wind >5 MW 90.2 
			 Onshore wind <5 MW 104.9 
			 Gas CCGT 80.3 
			 Gas CCGT with CCS (FOAK) 112.5 
			 ASC Coal 104.5 
			 ASC Coal with CCS (FOAK) 142.1 
			 Coal IGCC (FOAK) 134.6 
			 Coal IGCC with CCS (FOAK) 147.6 
			 Nuclear PWR (FOAK) 99.0 
			 Notes: 1. The onshore wind levelised costs are based on Arup (2011) central capital and operating expenditure estimates for a small and large onshore wind reference plant. They assume a 2011 project start and are discounted at 10%. The assumed load factor is 29% for large onshore wind and 25% for small onshore wind. The assumed installation lifetime is 24 years. 2. The levelised costs of non-renewable technologies are based on Mott Macdonald (2010) central capital and operating expenditure estimates. They assume a 2009 project start and are discounted at 10%.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when (a) she and (b) other Ministers in her Department were first informed of the discovery by researchers from the university of Cambridge of a new strain of MRSA in milk from a British herd; and what steps she plans to take to address the issue.

James Paice: holding answer 15 June 2011
	The former Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the right hon. Member for Leeds Central (Hilary Benn) and Ministers were first informed of the novel MRSA strain that had been identified by the university of Cambridge on 24 September 2009. On 1 June 2011, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mrs Spelman), was notified of the impending publication of the university of Cambridge's paper on this novel MRSA strain.
	As a result of the university of Cambridge notifying the Department of the identification of this novel strain in 2009, DEFRA, including its Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA), alerted colleagues from the Department of Health, the Health Protection Agency and the Food Standards Agency about the initial findings. As a result of the consequent discussions, DEFRA commissioned the university to undertake some further work to enhance understanding of the origin and the significance of this new finding. Included within this additional work was the investigation of some cattle staphylococcus aureus isolates that the VLA had retained as an archive after a research project into mastitis (inflammation of the udder) in cattle. None of these isolates were identified as MRSA by the VLA using normal testing protocols, although a few showed some resistance to the antibiotics commonly used to identify MRSA. These isolates identified by VLA as having a degree of resistance underwent further examination during this additional research and some were shown to be similar to the strain identified by Cambridge.
	Now that this research has been completed, DEFRA will continue to collaborate with public health bodies that are all represented at the DEFRA Antimicrobial Resistance Coordination (DARC) group. A sub-group specifically on MRSA will also continue to monitor all new developments relating to all types of MRSA and will advise on potential policy options accordingly. Further research projects will be commissioned on antimicrobial resistance. Their scope will continue to be prioritised, and this will be informed by the DARC group, which assesses risk to help target funding to where it is most needed.
	The Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency will continue to test clinical samples from cows with mastitis (and other diagnostic submissions from cows and other farmed species) and so monitor such material for the presence of staphylococcus aureus and whether such isolates demonstrate resistance to antibiotics. The VMD is responsible for authorising all veterinary antimicrobial products and monitors the overall volume of sales and any suspected adverse reactions (including being notified about suspected failures in effectiveness, which may be an indication of the development of antimicrobial resistance).

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan: Corruption

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the level of corruption in the Afghan Government; and what mechanism he uses to measure such levels.

Andrew Mitchell: I have been asked to reply.
	Corruption threatens economic growth in developing countries; in Afghanistan, it hampers socio-economic development, undermines the legitimacy of the Government and prevents the delivery of services to the Afghan people. The coalition Government will not tolerate corruption and in all their development programmes do their utmost to eliminate it.
	At the Kabul Conference in July 2010 the Afghan Government made several key commitments to tackle corruption. The international community, led by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), monitors progress against these commitments. Progress to date has been mixed, but there have been some significant achievements, such as the establishment of a Monitoring and Evaluation Committee (MEC) comprised of Afghans and international experts, which will assess performance against agreed anti-corruption benchmarks.
	The UK Government monitor Afghan perceptions of corruption using a range of survey data gathered by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), The Asia Foundation and Integrity Watch Afghanistan.

Caribbean Court of Justice

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress his Department has made in supporting a Caribbean Court of Justice to address capital appeals from Commonwealth nations in the Caribbean.

David Lidington: To date three Commonwealth Caribbean countries have adopted the Caribbean Court of Justice as the final court of appeal: Barbados, Belize and Guyana. It is for the Government of the country concerned to decide whether they wish to retain the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council as their highest court of appeal.

Foreign Relations

Douglas Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 7 June 2011, Official Report, column 207W, on foreign relations, if he will place in the Library a copy of the research on global perceptions of the UK which his Department has received in the last 12 months.

William Hague: We are unfortunately unable to place access details to the Gallup WorldView online tool or place the GfK research in the Library as this would contravene the terms and conditions of the subscription agreements we have with our suppliers, which protects their commercial and intellectual property rights.

IBM

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many contracts his Department holds with IBM; and what the (a) purpose and (b) monetary value of each such contract is.

David Lidington: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has a central record of one contract with IBM, worth approximately £1,000.00 per year, for software support.

UK Membership of EU: Referendums

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the policy of the Government is on a referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union.

David Lidington: This Government believe that membership of the European Union is in the national interest, bringing with it significant benefits to the UK. On that basis this Government have no plans to hold an in/out referendum.

HEALTH

Bladder Cancer

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps (a) his Department and (b) the NHS are taking to raise awareness of the (i) risk factors, (ii) diagnosis and (iii) treatment of bladder cancer.

Paul Burstow: Smoking is the biggest cause of preventable bladder cancer. Healthy lives, healthy people: a tobacco control plan for England, published on 9 March 2011, sets out a range of national actions to support local evidence-based activity to reduce smoking rates in England. The link between tobacco use and cancer is clearly made in the plan, a copy of which has already been placed in the Library.
	To improve the diagnosis, treatment and care of patients with all cancers, including bladder cancer, on 12 January 2011 we published “Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer”. The strategy sets out an ambition to save an additional 5,000 lives every year by 2014-15 through earlier diagnosis of cancer and improved access to screening and radiotherapy. To support earlier diagnosis of cancer the Government have committed over £450 million over the next four years, which includes provision for the funding of awareness activity.
	The focus of future campaign work will be determined by evaluation of current cancer awareness activity.
	This includes £9 million to support 59 local projects focusing on breast, bowel and lung cancer and £1.75 million that has trialled a national bowel cancer campaign in two regions. However, we know that not all the 5,000 lives can be saved by tackling these common cancers alone, and we are considering how we might extend the previous campaigns to cover other cancers, including bladder cancer.
	In 2002 the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) published Improving Outcomes in Urological Cancers which sets out best practice for the national health service for the diagnosis, care and treatment of patients with urological cancers, including bladder cancer. Our cancer strategy confirms that NICE Improving Outcomes Guidance will continue to be a feature of all commissioned cancer services.

Cancer: Drugs

Daniel Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has assessed the effects on the Cancer Drugs Fund of potential changes to guidance issued by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence for cancer drugs which are funded by the NHS.

Paul Burstow: We have made no such assessment.
	The Department published “Guidance to support operation of the Cancer Drugs Fund in 2011-12” on 23 March 2011. This makes clear that strategic health authorities will need to manage their share of the Cancer Drugs Fund in a way that enables them to respond to the changing profile of available treatments and potential fluctuations in the numbers of patients presenting for specific treatments.
	A copy of the guidance has already been placed in the Library.

Cancer: Health Services

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to ensure co- ordination of cancer services in (a) 2011-12, (b) 2012-13, (c) 2013-14 and (d) 2014-15.

Paul Burstow: Primary care trusts will continue to take responsibility for the co-ordination of cancer services until they are abolished, and their functions in the relevant area transferred to new clinical commissioning groups, local authorities and the National Health Service Commissioning Board (CB). As set out in the Government's response to the NHS Future Forum report, the intention is to create a new duty for clinical commissioning groups to promote integrated services for patients and to strengthen the duty on the NHS CB. The NHS CB will promote innovative ways of demonstrating how care can be made more integrated for patients.
	To support the co-ordination of cancer services, we have said that cancer networks will now continue to receive funding in 2012-13 and that, subject to legislation, the NHS Commissioning Board will support strengthened cancer networks in the future. The National Cancer Director, Professor Sir Mike Richards, has been asked to begin work to strengthen the cancer networks and to engage them to understand how best to improve outcomes for patients.
	Those areas of cancer commissioning that are currently covered by national or regional specialised commissioning, such as children's cancer services, will continue to be subject to similar arrangements, through the NHS CB.

Care Homes

Fabian Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what guidelines his Department has issued on the size of care homes;
	(2)  what guidelines his Department has issued on the location of care homes.

Paul Burstow: The Department has not issued guidance on the size and location of care homes. It is for local authorities, working with providers, to ensure that sufficient numbers of suitable care home places are available to meet the needs of their populations.
	Care providers must register with the regulator, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and comply with the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010 (SI 2010/781), which include requirements around the suitability of premises. A copy of the Regulations has already been placed in the Library.
	Regulation 15 includes a requirement on safety and suitability of premises, which requires the registered person to ensure that service users and others are protected against the risks of unsafe or unsuitable premises.
	Regulation 22 requires the registered person to ensure that at all times, sufficient numbers of suitably qualified, skilled and experienced staff are employed in order to safeguard the health, safety and welfare of service users. In addition, the CQC has the power to impose conditions on registration which might include restricting the number of service users a service may care for to ensure that services are safe and of an acceptable quality.
	If providers fail to comply with the regulations, the CQC may take enforcement action.

Folic Acid

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to respond to the recent recommendation of the Standing Advisory Committee on Nutrition advocating the fortification of some foodstuffs with folic acid; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: We will respond to the recent recommendations from the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition's report on folic acid fortification of some foodstuffs in due course.

Health Services

Kwasi Kwarteng: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to initiate a campaign to inform the general public about alternatives to using (a) accident and emergency and (b) GP health services.

Simon Burns: There are currently no plans for a national campaign to promote alternatives to accident and emergency and general practitioner services. It is the responsibility of local national health service organisations to promote the range of services they provide.

National Association of Primary Care: Finance

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding his Department provided to the National Association of Primary Care in the latest period for which figures are available; for what projects such funding was provided; and what the criteria for assessing (a) progress and (b) the outcome of each such project are.

Simon Burns: The National Association of Primary Care (NAPC) has received funding from the Department for a range of projects and sponsorships, including those aimed at improving engagement with frontline clinicians. For example, the Department has funded the NAPC (and other primary care organisations) to support it in its work on the transition to the new clinical commissioning arrangements.
	Key criteria for success have included proactive clinical leadership and engagement with frontline general practitioners (GPs), and the provision of advice and support to GPs as they begin to form clinical commissioning groups.
	Details of funding awarded to the NAPC since April 2010 are as follows:
	
		
			 Description Date of purchase order approval Costs (£) 
			 Call off contract with NAPC to support implementation of GP commissioning 23 November 2010 80,000 
			 Sponsorship of award for “Improving services for patients” at the NAPC vision awards 6 October 2010 5,000 
			 Funding for production of four monthly issues of Practical Commissioning from September to December 2010 (NAPC co-ordinated transfer of this funding to Practical Commissioning) 2 July 2010 28,000 
			 Total  113,000

National Clinical Commissioning Network

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) remuneration and (b) other payments his Department has provided to his Department's National Clinical Commissioning Network Lead since May 2010; and whether he is an employee of the Department.

Simon Burns: Dr James Kingsland was contracted to the Department to undertake the role of National Clinical Commissioning Network lead. Since May 2010; the Department has provided £37,318.40 in remuneration to Dr Kingsland for work he has undertaken in this role.

National Clinical Commissioning Network: National Association of Primary Care

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of potential conflicts of interest between the role of his Department's National Clinical Commissioning Network Lead and his role as President of the National Association of Primary Care; and what steps he has taken to manage any such conflict of interest.

Simon Burns: In undertaking his role as lead for the National Clinical Commissioning Network, Dr James Kingsland has acted in his capacity as an individual general practitioner (GP), providing clinical leadership for the Network, in order to avoid potential conflicts of interest with his role within the National Association of Primary Care.

Social Services

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what role local partnership boards have in commissioning care services.

Paul Burstow: Learning Disability Partnership Boards provide local leadership on service delivery and development. Their influence and ability to hold services to account should ensure that local needs will take priority when it comes to commissioning care services.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Immigration: Crime

Steve Brine: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many reports of suspected immigration offences the UK Border Agency and its predecessor received in each of the last five years; and how many such reports were acted upon.

Damian Green: Reports of suspected immigration and/or customs offences received by the UK Border Agency, and their outcomes, are not recorded centrally. Information is recorded and assessed at the local level, and acted upon according to regional priorities.
	Therefore, the information requested over a five-year period could be obtained only by the detailed examination of individual local records at disproportionate cost.
	The agency acknowledges the need to improve the end-to-end process of allegations handling in our response to the Independent Chief Inspector's (ICI) report on how the UK Border Agency receives and uses intelligence. A copy of the UK Border Agency response to the ICI report has been placed in the Library.

Members: Correspondence

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter of 17 February 2011 from the right hon. Member for Leeds Central regarding Lynn Watson, ref: M3415/11.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 16 June 2011
	I wrote to the right hon. Member for Leeds Central on 16 June 2011.

Offenders: Rehabilitation

Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her policy is on the resettlement of ex-offenders.

Crispin Blunt: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government's policy is to deliver more effective resettlement outcomes, through:
	Probation, police and other local services taking an integrated approach to managing offenders;
	rehabilitating offenders from drug dependency to drug-free lives, and to support them to make a full contribution to society;
	getting offenders into jobs and with somewhere to live so that they can pay their own way; and
	tackling mental health problems.

Police: Dorset

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were (a) in Dorset Police and (b) assigned to Bournemouth in each of the last 10 financial years.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 16 June 2011
	Available data for Dorset, Bournemouth and Bournemouth and Poole police force areas are provided on Tables A and B respectively.
	
		
			 Table A: Police officer strength in Dorset as at 31 March, 2001 to 2010 and 30 September 2011 
			 Dorset Number 
			 2001(1) 1,354 
			 2002(1) 1,381 
			 2003(2) 1,416 
			 2004(2) 1,433 
			 2005(2) 1,450 
			 2006(2) 1,485 
			 2007(2) 1,492 
			 2008(2) 1,482 
			 2009(2) 1,463 
			 2010(2) 1,447 
			 September 2011 1,439 
			 (1) These are full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. They include all officers less staff on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave (comparable with previously published figures) (2) Full-time equivalent figures on a comparable strength basis (excludes those on career breaks, or maternity/paternity leave). The Police Numbers Task Force (2001) recommended that a clear presentation was made of the numbers of staff employed by police forces including those seconded into the force and those on any type of long or short term absence. These new calculations were first used in 2003. and are not comparable with data prior to March 2003. The data from 2003 onwards used here are termed comparable because they have been calculated on the old basis to allow comparison. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table B: Police officer strength  (1, 2 )  in Bournemouth and Bournemouth and Poole as at 31 March 2001 to 2010 
			 Full-time equivalent  (1) 
			  Bournemouth Bournemouth and Poole 
			 2001 n/a * 
			 2002 n/a * 
			 2003 318 * 
			 2004 322 * 
			 2005 317 * 
			 2006 319 * 
			 2007 315 * 
			 2008 317 * 
			 2009 * 506 
			 2010 * 481 
			 n/a = Not available. Basic command unit data were not collected centrally by the Home Office prior to 2003. * = Not applicable (1) Police personnel statistics are not collected by parliamentary constituency. Data have been provided for Bournemouth basic command unit for 2003 to 2008. In 2009, the basic command unit breakdown within Dorset changed. The figure for 2009 and 2010 is for ‘Bournemouth and Poole'. (2) These are full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. Figures include officers on career break or maternity/paternity leave.

Police: Pay

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department gave to the Chief Police Officers' Staff Association in the latest period for which figures are available.

Nick Herbert: No funding has been provided to the Chief Police Officers' Staff Association in the last five financial years.

Police: Termination of Employment

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 8 June 2011, Official Report, column 345W, on police: termination of employment, what regulations required police forces to issue leavers with a certificate showing (a) final rank and (b) the period of service in that force between 1980 and 1995.

Nick Herbert: The relevant regulations were regulation 21 of the Police Regulations 1979 (with effect from 1 January 1980 until 14 June 1987) and regulation 21 of the Police Regulations 1987 (with effect from 15 June 1987 until 7 March 1995).

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Adaptation Fund

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funds his Department plans to provide to the UN Climate Adaptation Fund in each of the next four financial years.

Stephen O'Brien: The UK Government welcomed the establishment of the Adaptation Fund which is designed to support developing countries to make the investments needed to protect poor people from the impacts of climate change. We want the fund to be a success and the UK is an active member of its board. No decision has yet been taken on a possible UK contribution in the next four years. In considering whether to do so we will rigorously assess the ability of the fund to deliver results, impact and value for money for the poor people it is set up to serve.

Caribbean: Climate Change

Daniel Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to assist Caribbean countries to adapt to climate-related challenges and develop greener economies.

Stephen O'Brien: The UK Government are helping Caribbean countries to adapt to climate challenges in a number of ways. Support from the Department for International Development's (DFID's) regional programme is helping build evidence on the potential effects of climate change for Caribbean countries. For example, we have funded detailed studies of climate change on tourism investments. We plan to help 228,000 people in vulnerable communities build their resilience by making their homes safer and stronger and will support introduction of hazard insurance products for small scale farmers and businesses in the region. We will invest in efforts to develop low carbon energy and the protection of marine habitats and livelihoods of fishermen/women most at risk.
	The region also benefits from UK contributions to global programmes such as the Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience (PPCR) and the Climate Development and Knowledge Network which are helping countries integrate climate change adaptation and risk reduction into future policy and investment decisions.

Developing Countries: Climate Change

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his policy is on the provision of loans or assistance to developing countries in implementing climate change reduction programmes through the World Bank.

Stephen O'Brien: The UK Government provide both loans and grants for climate change programmes in developing countries, including through the World Bank.

Ethiopia: Overseas Aid

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations he has received on the use of UK development aid by the Government of Ethiopia.

Stephen O'Brien: The Secretary of State receives occasional representations, from members of the public and non-governmental organisations, about the use of development aid by the Government of Ethiopia. Issues raised have been: access to health and education services provided across Ethiopia with support from the UK and other donors; Ethiopia's plans for hydropower; commercial farming; democratisation; the role of NGOs; the humanitarian situation; and consultation on priorities for the Department for International Development's programme in Ethiopia.

JUSTICE

Bill of Rights Commission

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent progress has been made by the Commission on a British Bill of Rights.

Kenneth Clarke: The Commission met for the first time on 6 May. It has published provisional dates for its meetings on its website:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/about/cbr/index.htm
	and has indicated that it will be publishing further details of its work programme in due course.

Bribery

Alan Beith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what discussions he has had with non-governmental organisations on the 2010 Foreign Bribery strategy; and what plans he has to proceed with the strategy.

Kenneth Clarke: As International Anti-Corruption Champion, I have discussed the issue of foreign bribery with a number of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) including Transparency International UK and the Bond Governance Group.
	The matter of whether or not to proceed with the previous Administration's Foreign Bribery Strategy in its entirety is under consideration. However, several of the objectives in the strategy have now been met, or are progressing. One of the strategy's key objectives to strengthen the law will be achieved when the Bribery Act 2010 commences on 1 July this year. The Government have also made progress in supporting ethical business and further work is ongoing to reduce foreign bribery by strengthening international anti-corruption efforts, including working closely with British embassies overseas to address reports of bribe solicitation by foreign public officials.

Business: Government Assistance

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what progress his Department has made in encouraging small businesses to bid for Government contracts.

Kenneth Clarke: On 3 June the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) published its small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) action plan. The full action plan including details of the desired outcomes and success factors along with upcoming contracting opportunities are available on the MOJ's website at the following address:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/about/procurement-and-commercial/sme.htm
	The MOJ'S plan is also available on the Cabinet Office's website along with other Departments’ action plans at the following address:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/content/small-and-medium-enterprise-sme-action-plans
	Progress against each action will be monitored both by the MOJ and the Cabinet Office.

Capital Appeals: Commonwealth Nations

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to ensure that the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council has resources adequate to enable it to deal with capital appeals from Commonwealth nations.

Kenneth Clarke: I am satisfied that the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is adequately resourced to deal with all the capital cases which come before it.

Community Care: Unpaid Work

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice who will hold the community supervision order in the event of a private company winning the tender to provide unpaid work in England and Wales.

Crispin Blunt: Following the award of contract, an unpaid work requirement imposed as a single requirement of a community or suspended sentence order will be the responsibility of the unpaid work provider. If the order contains any other requirement in addition to unpaid work, including a supervision requirement, the management of the order will be the responsibility of the relevant probation trust.

Community Orders

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his policy is on the setting of conditions of community sentences by prison governors and probation officers under his proposals for payment by results schemes.

Crispin Blunt: The Government's plans for piloting payment by results for offender rehabilitation were outlined in the Ministry of Justice Green Paper “Breaking the Cycle: Effective punishment, rehabilitation and sentencing of offenders”. At least two of the planned pilot projects will involve offenders managed on community sentences.
	The selection of requirements for community sentences is solely the responsibility of the courts. The Government currently have no plans to extend this responsibility to prison governors, probation officers or other third parties.
	Providers of probation services have a statutory duty to assist the courts in determining the appropriate sentence to pass. This is met through the provision of advice in the form of a Pre-Sentence Report. This function is reserved to the public sector under the Offender Management Act 2007.

Community Orders

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he expects to evaluate the findings of the pilot on reducing administrative burdens associated with community orders undertaken by the Surrey and Sussex Probation Trust.

Crispin Blunt: A report on the Professional Judgement Project that ran in the Surrey and Sussex Probation Trust was circulated to chief executives and chairs of probation trusts on 12 April 2011. Although too early for data on final outcomes of community sentences, the report found that 98% of those who responded to a staff survey said the new permission to exercise professional judgment had helped them to do their work better and 96% said it had enabled them to match their time and resources more appropriately to the risks and needs of the offenders they were supervising. The learning from the project informed the development of the national standards for the management of offenders (2011) issued this year. I have placed copies of the reports and annexes in the House of Commons Library.

Coroners: Reform

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether he has any plans to improve the complaints procedure in relation to the conduct of individual coroners following his decision not to establish the post of Chief Coroner.

Jonathan Djanogly: On 19 May we published for consultation a draft National Charter for the Coroner Service which included the process for complaints. As at present, complaints about a coroner's personal conduct should be made to the Office for Judicial Complaints. Complaints about the administration of the coroner service should be made in the first instance to the coroner and copied to the relevant local authority. Complaints may also be made direct to the local authority. If dissatisfied with the response, the next step would be to complain to the Local Government Ombudsman. The greater level of information in the Charter will ensure that those coming into contact with the coroner service are made aware of, and able to access, the relevant complaints procedure.

Coroners: Reform

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  whether he has any plans to revise arrangements for the allocation of coroners inquests in relation to the death of members of the armed forces;
	(2)  what plans he has to monitor the standard of investigations into deaths of members of the armed services following his decision not to establish the post of Chief Coroner.

Jonathan Djanogly: The statement made by the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (Mr Clarke) on 14 June 2011, Official Report, columns 64-66WS, set out our plans for reform of the coroner system, including the transfer of a number of functions vested in the office of the chief coroner.
	This included powers under sections 12 and 13 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 which allow for the transfer of cases involving the deaths of service personnel abroad from England and Wales to Scotland where appropriate (or from Scotland to England and Wales). This function will be transferred to the Lord Chief Justice.
	Monitoring arrangements for service personnel deaths will remain as at present. This involves the publication of quarterly written ministerial statements with details of the inquests of service personnel who have died in operations and exercises overseas, the latest of which can be found on the Parliament website at:
	http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmhansrd/cm110512/wmstext/110512m0001.htm

Coroners: Reform

Robert Flello: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 14 June 2011, on coroner reform, whether the functions of the Chief Coroner which are to be transferred to the Lord Chief Justice will be delegated to a single named judge; and what criteria will be used to determine the judge or judges to whom such functions will be delegated.

Jonathan Djanogly: It is for the Lord Chief Justice to determine whether the relevant functions should be delegated to an individual, named judge and the criteria informing any such decision.

Crime: Victims

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of victims of crime made a victim personal statement in each year from 2001 to 2010.

Crispin Blunt: Information on the number or proportion of victims who made a victim personal statement to the police is not held centrally.
	However, data from the Witness and Victim Experience Survey indicate that, in 2009-10, 43% of respondents remembered being offered the opportunity to make a victim personal statement and, of these, 55% said they actually did so. The survey interviewed victims and prosecution witnesses aged 18 and over, whose case resulted in a charge, between four and six months after the case had closed. Victims and witnesses in sensitive cases (such as sexual offences or domestic violence, crimes involving a fatality, or any crime where the defendant was a family member or a member of the witness's or victim's household) were not included on ethical grounds.
	Since September 2007 victims who have opted into the probation service's statutory Victim Contact Scheme have been able to submit a victim personal statement to the Parole Board where the board is conducting a hearing in relation to a prisoner. The number of victim personal statements submitted to the Parole Board is not held centrally.

Legal Aid

Claire Perry: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much the Legal Services Commission spent on legal aid in (a) each region of England and (b) Wales (i) in total and (ii) per head in each of the last five years.

Jonathan Djanogly: The information requested is shown in the following tables. Table 1 also includes spend which cannot be attributed across a region, such as telephone spend. In this case the expenditure has been apportioned across the regions on a pro-rata basis.
	
		
			 Table 1: Legal aid spend in each region 
			 Total spend by region (£ million) 
			  West Midlands South East South West Eastern Wales Yorkshire and Humberside London North West North East East Midlands Total 
			 2005-06 183 204 148 117 94 174 610 295 79 122 2,028 
			 2006-07 186 214 138 117 89 173 557 304 80 121 1,980 
			 2007-08 192 224 140 111 91 182 585 299 82 117 2,023 
			 2008-09 190 233 150 118 99 191 596 306 94 123 2,100 
			 2009-10 191 239 157 123 103 211 591 309 96 126 2,147 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Legal aid spend per head 
			 Per head average by region (£) 
			  West Midlands South East South West Eastern Wales Yorkshire and Humbers  i  de London North West North East East Midlands Total 
			 2005-06 34 25 29 21 32 34 82 43 31 28 38 
			 2006-07 35 26 27 21 30 34 74 44 32 28 37 
			 2007-08 36 27 27 20 31 35 77 44 32 27 37 
			 2008-09 35 28 29 21 33 37 78 44 37 28 39 
			 2009-10 35 28 30 21 34 40 76 45 37 28 39

Legal Aid: Asylum

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the cost to the public purse of (a) legal aid for asylum appeals and (b) the administrative costs associated with such appeals was in each year since 1997-98.

Jonathan Djanogly: It is not possible to answer the question in the format requested. Legal aid expenditure in asylum and immigration cases for 2003-04 onwards is shown in the following table. However it is not possible to disaggregate asylum from other immigration cases. The figures include representation in judicial reviews.
	The Legal Services Commission (LSC) does not record centrally the administrative costs associated with immigration and asylum cases.
	
		
			  Total (£ million cash) 
			 2003-04 200 
			 2004-05 177 
			 2005-06 103 
			 2006-07 80 
			 2007-08 86 
			 2008-09 88 
			 2009-10 90

Multi-Agency Public Protection

Richard Shepherd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the role of lay advisors to Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) is; and what qualifications are required for participation by lay advisors in MAPPA meetings.

Crispin Blunt: By virtue of section 326 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 (the 2003 Act), the responsible authority for each MAPPA area must keep the arrangements which it has established for the assessment and management of eligible offenders under review in consultation with persons appointed by the Secretary of State as lay advisers in relation to that authority. Lay advisers are members of the public. The responsible authority will consult and seek the advice of its lay advisers in various ways, including through the lay advisers attending and contributing to meetings of the local MAPPA Strategic Management Board.
	In accordance with the Secretary of State's guidance to the responsible authorities, issued under section 325 of the 2003 Act, lay advisers act as informed observers and ask challenging questions which may not have occurred to the professionals involved and thereby act as a critical friend. Under the same guidance, lay advisers are not expected routinely to attend MAPPA meetings, which are operational in nature, and even where they do so, should not be involved in decision-making about risk assessments and risk management plans for individual offenders.
	Individuals do not need any formal educational qualifications in order to be appointed to the role of lay adviser, but in the recruitment process they will be assessed for a range of personal qualities including an interest in local community and social issues, and a capacity for emotional resilience.

Multi-Agency Public Protection

Richard Shepherd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what guidance his Department issues to those appointed as lay advisors to Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements boards.

Crispin Blunt: The Ministry of Justice does not issue any central guidance to those appointed as lay advisers. However, in his guidance to the MAPPA responsible authorities issued under section 325 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003, the Secretary of State provides guidance on the nature and responsibility of lay advisers.
	In addition, the responsible authority in each MAPPA area is required to provide an induction programme consisting of relevant reading material, a range of visits to criminal justice premises including a prison, a police station and a probation office, and attendance at meetings. The responsible authority must also nominate a person to provide continuing support and guidance during their time as lay advisers.

Multi-Agency Public Protection

Richard Shepherd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice on what dates the Lay Advisors to the Staffordshire and West Midlands Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) have been present at meetings of the MAPPA Board since 1 April 2010.

Crispin Blunt: Staffordshire and the West Midlands are separate MAPPA areas. One or both of the lay advisers in each area have attended meetings of the respective Strategic Management Board on the following dates since 1 April 2010:
	Staffordshire
	2 June 2010
	5 September 2010
	17 November 2010
	27 April 2011
	West Midlands
	15 July 2010
	18 November 2010
	20 January 2011
	17 March 2011
	19 May 2011.

Offender Management Services

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he plans to publish the comprehensive competition programme for all offender management services proposed in his Department's Green Paper on reoffending.

Crispin Blunt: The Ministry of Justice is currently developing the Offender Services Competition Strategy in line with commitments in the “Breaking the Cycle” Green Paper and the Ministry of Justice Business Plan. The strategy will be published shortly.

Offenders: Training

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of offenders refused to engage in education and skills courses in each year since 1995.

Crispin Blunt: Neither the Skills Funding Agency nor the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) hold information centrally relating to the numbers of offenders who refuse to engage in courses. However, data collected tells, us that, since the implementation of the Offender Learning and Skills service, the proportion of offenders in prison participating in learning and skills provision has risen from 30% to over 41%.
	Offenders serving community sentences often access mainstream training and education as part of their sentence plan. No statistical data are held in respect of those who refuse to engage.

Offenders: Training

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with reference to his Department's Green Paper, Breaking the Cycle: Effective Punishment, Rehabilitation and Sentencing of Offenders, page 33, paragraph 112, which business leaders his Department has identified to champion employers working with offenders on skills-based programmes to support rehabilitation.

Crispin Blunt: Both the Green Paper “Breaking the Cycle: Effective Punishment, Rehabilitation and Sentencing of Offenders” and the recently published offender learning review “Making Prison Work: Skills for Rehabilitation” place skills and employment at the heart of rehabilitation. Both reviews place significant emphasis on relationships with employers in ensuring that skills training and development for offenders match the skills demands of employers and the business community.
	To ensure dialogue between Government and employers, a number of business leaders have been brought together to lead the Employer Forum for Reducing Re-Offending, acting as advisers, champions and advocates to other employers regarding supporting offenders to obtain employment. The forum is driven by a leadership team chaired by James Timpson OBE, Chief Executive of Timpson Ltd and comprises membership of 14 other companies including Marks and Spencer, DHL, Mitie Group, Greggs, Cisco Systems, Transport for London, Sodexho, Bovis Lend Lease, SERCO and Compass Group.
	Within the wider forum of employers, there are many other private sector organisations currently supporting skills training in both custody and community including National Grid and its extensive supply chain of companies, Sainsbury's, Enterprise plc and Tesco. There are many other examples of successful partnerships across the National Offender Management Service, whether employers are recruiting offenders directly from prison, running a prison workshop, providing work placements or helping shape policy and practice.

Prisons: Mental Health Services

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the name is of each pilot treatment and case management project being undertaken as part of the Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorder Programme;
	(2)  when he plans to publish the findings of the pilot treatment and case management projects being undertaken as part of the Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorder Programme;
	(3)  when he plans to undertake the joint consultation with the Secretary of State for Health on the reconfiguration of existing services to support those with mental health issues on the secure estate.

Crispin Blunt: There are 30 separate projects within the programme, representing the various phases of assessment, treatment, management and workforce development. Additionally, the programme has established a range of non-forensic projects providing specialist services to people with personality disorder in the community. The following table shows each project separately.
	
		
			 Service Name Lead organisation PD Pathway 
			 Cambridge Complex Cases and Peterborough PD service Addenbrooks Hospital Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Partnership Trust Non Forensic Community Support—NHS 
			 Cumbria Itinerant Therapeutic Community North Cumbria Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Trust Non Forensic Community Support—NHS 
			 Douglass House Project Bracton Centre Oxleas Foundation Trust Offender Community Support—NHS 
			 Dual Diagnosis and Response Team Goodmayes Hospital, Ilford North East London Mental Health Trust Non Forensic Community Support—NHS 
			 Fens Unit HMP Whitemoor HM Prison Service PD Treatment—High Security Prison 
			 Gartree Prison PIPE(1) HMP Gartree HM Prison Service PD progression unit Prison 
			 Hull Prison PIPE(1) HMP Hull HM Prison Service PD progression unit Prison 
			 Icebreak Project The Zone (Plymouth) Non Forensic Community Support—NHS 
			 Impact Project London Probation Trust Camden and Islington MH and Social Care Trust Offender Community Support—NHS and Probation 
		
	
	
		
			 Knowledge and Understanding Framework Department of Health Workforce training and development programme for those working with people with personality disorders in the health and criminal justice sectors 
			 Leeds PD Network Leeds Mental Health Teaching NHS Trust Non Forensic Community Support—NHS 
			 Leicester Approved Premise PIPE(1) Kirk Lodge Leicestershire and Rutland Probation Trust PD progression unit Community 
			 London Pathway Project London Probation Trust Oxleas Foundation Trust Offender Community Support—NHS and Probation 
			 Low Newton Prison PIPE(1) HMP Low Newton HM Prison Service and Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust PD progression unit Women's Prison 
			 Mersey Approved Premise PIPE(1) Canning House Merseyside Probation Trust PD progression unit Community 
			 Millfields Unit Homerton Hospital East London and City MH Trust PD Treatment—Medium Secure Hospital 
			 NE Community Team St Nicholas Hospital Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland MH Trust Offender Community Support—NHS 
			 Nottinghamshire PD Network Mandala Centre Nottinghamshire Healthcare Trust Non Forensic Community Support—NHS 
			 Oswin Unit St Nicholas Hospital Newcastle, North Tyneside and Northumberland MH Trust PD Treatment—Medium Secure Hospital 
			 Paddock Centre Broadmoor Hospital West London MH Trust PD Treatment—High Secure Hospital 
			 Peaks Unit Rampton Hospital Nottinghamshire Healthcare Trust PD Treatment—High Secure Hospital 
			 Primrose Unit HMP Low Newton HM Prison Service and Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust PD Treatment—Women's Prison 
			 Resettle—Merseyside Multi Agency Merseyside Probation Trust Community Support—Police, NHS and Probation 
			 Send Prison PIPE(1) HMP Send HM Prison Service Progression Unit Women's Prison 
			 SW London Service User Network South West London and St Georges MH Trust Non Forensic Community Support—NHS 
			 Thames Valley Initiative Wexham Park Hospital Berkshire Healthcare NHS Trust Non Forensic Community Support—NHS 
			 The Haven Project The Haven Trust Non Forensic Community Support—NHS 
		
	
	
		
			 The Olive Tree Coventry Coventry Teaching PCT Non Forensic Community Support—NHS 
			 Waddon Ward River House, Bethlem Royal Hospital South London and Maudsley Foundation Trust PD Treatment—Medium Secure Hospital 
			 Westgate Unit HMP Frankland HM Prison Service PD Treatment—High Security Prison 
			 (1) PIPES (Psychologically Informed Planned Environments) are discrete residential units, either in prisons or approved premises, which provide a particularly safe and supportive environment so that offenders can be supported following a period of more intense treatment. 
		
	
	There are a series of separate research activities into the various elements of the programme, covering treatment, progression and management in the community. The key research areas are:
	two evaluations of the four male DSPD treatment sites in high secure hospitals and the high secure prison estate. One, undertaken by the university of Oxford focuses on the treatments offered and patients' responses to treatment. The other, by Imperial College, is concerned with staffing and organisation within the four sites. A MOJ report summarising the findings of these projects is currently progressing through quality assurance processes in preparation for publication. Copies of the full academic reports will be available on request in due course.
	A qualitative evaluation of the Primrose Unit (the DSPD treatment pilot for women at HMP Low Newton) has been commissioned to evaluate whether the risk posed by offenders to others and to themselves is reduced. The evaluation is due to start imminently and will conclude in 2012, with results available in 2013.
	Evaluations of elements of the six progression units (known as PIPES) have been commissioned, the results of which are due in 2013.
	A randomised control trial (RCT) of the Resettle project is currently under way and will report in 2013.
	The joint Ministry of Justice and Department of Health formal consultation on the Offender Personality Disorder Pathway Implementation plan, which includes increases in the number of treatment places in prisons, development of a range of community and custody based pathway services for high harm offenders and changes to the NHS based DSPD pilots services closed on 12 May. A Government response will be published shortly following joint consideration by Ministers in MOJ and DH.

Prisons: Training

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department expects to spend on prison rehabilitation as part of the Work Programme in each year of the comprehensive spending review period.

Crispin Blunt: The Work Programme will see providers paid by the Department for Work and Pensions for the results they achieve in getting the unemployed off welfare and into work. The DWP and the Ministry of Justice are working on plans that could lead to more offenders across the country being referred to back to work support through the programme. We are also working to see how Work Programme providers could be incentivised further to work with offenders and reducing reoffending. We will identify the costs and benefits of this approach as we develop the policy.

Prisons: Training

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment his Department has made of the potential barriers to independent providers offering work and training for offenders in prison.

Crispin Blunt: In our Green Paper, “Breaking the Cycle: Effective Punishment, Rehabilitation and Sentencing of Offenders”, we asked how we should best use the expertise and innovation of the private and voluntary sectors to help develop the working prison. We received many useful responses from the public and independent providers, and continue to engage with a range of organisations on a number of issues as we develop our policy.

Probation: ICT

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether he plans to establish an integrated IT system for probation lots and private sector operators to tender for unpaid work.

Crispin Blunt: Probation trust and private sector providers of community payback (unpaid work) will be required to access and maintain data held on the national applications to be used by probation trusts for the case management and risk management of offenders in the community. This will ensure that the same risk assessment tool is used and a single view of the offender is available irrespective of the organisation delivering the service.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which occupations are exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975, as amended.

Crispin Blunt: Part III of schedule 1 to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 lists those occupations that are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 ('Act'). Subsequent orders have since been made that add to and amend the list of occupations included in this schedule and can be found in the relevant years' Exceptions Order. The following is a consolidated list of current occupations in the Exceptions Order:
	1. Firearms dealer
	2. Any occupation in respect of which an application to the Gaming Board for Great Britain for a licence, certificate or registration is required by or under any enactment.
	3. Any occupation which is concerned with:
	(a) the management of a place in respect of which the approval of the Secretary of State is required by section 1 of the Abortion Act 1967; or
	(b) in England and Wales, carrying on a nursing home in respect of which registration is required by section 187 of the Public Health Act 1936 or section 14 of the Mental Health Act 1959; or
	(c) in Scotland, carrying on a nursing home in respect of which registration is required under section 1 of the Nursing Homes Registration (Scotland) Act 1938 or a private hospital in respect of which registration is required under section 15 of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1960.
	4. Any occupation which is concerned with carrying on an establishment in respect of which registration is required by section 37 of the National Assistance Act 1948 or section 61 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968.
	5. Any occupation in respect of which the holder, as occupier of premises on which explosives are kept, is required pursuant to regulations 4 and 7 of the Control of Explosives Regulations 1991 to obtain from the chief officer of police a valid explosives certificate certifying him to be a fit person to acquire or acquire and keep explosives
	6. Approved legal services body manager.
	7. A regulated immigration adviser.
	The Exceptions Order also lists those professions, offices, employment, licences, certificates, permits and proceedings that are exempt from the operation of the Act.

Scotland

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of contracts issued by (a) his Department and (b) agencies for which he is responsible were awarded to small and medium-sized enterprises in (i) Scotland, (ii) South Lanarkshire and (iii) Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituency in the latest period for which figures are available.

Kenneth Clarke: The Ministry of Justice does not centrally hold this information based on geographical location. It could be obtained only by a number of staff manually reviewing large volumes of records at a disproportionate cost to the Department.

Young Offenders: Probation

Ben Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his policy is on supporting the transition between youth offending and probation services when a young offender reaches 18.

Crispin Blunt: Our policy is to ensure a smooth transition between youth and adult justice services at age 18 to ensure that there is continuity and consistency in access to services. As part of this the Youth Justice Board are piloting an IT portal designed to share information between Youth Offending Teams and probation, and have developed a youth to adult protocol for local areas to use as young people transition from youth to adult justice services.

SCOTLAND

Corporation Tax

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on the rates of corporation tax in Scotland.

Michael Moore: I met with the First Minister on 12 May to discuss the requests for further devolution made by the Scottish Government. The First Minister committed to send detailed proposals on each of his requests. To date, no information has been received.

TRANSPORT

Ports: Liverpool

Caroline Nokes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the evidential basis is for his Department's revised policy on ports, state aid and competition rules in relation to Liverpool City Council's planned future usage of Liverpool cruise terminal.

Michael Penning: There has been no such change in policy. Use of the City of Liverpool Cruise Terminal for ‘turnaround’ operations is currently precluded by a grant condition. I have indicated that the condition might be lifted if an appropriate proportion of grant were to be repaid, recognising the effect on competing terminals that have not received subsidy. This would be subject to consultation, and to state aids clearance as necessary.

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department has spent on resurfacing A-roads in the last five years.

Norman Baker: For the roads which are the responsibility of the Highways Agency, the agency's annual accounts over the past five years has reported the following in terms of expenditure on maintenance.
	
		
			  £ million 
			 2009-10 1,307 
			 2008-09 914 
			 2007-08 878 
			 2006-07 850 
			 2005-06 852 
		
	
	Expenditure figures have been adjusted to account for spend relating to roads trunked or detrunked in the financial year.
	The expenditure figures provided are for maintenance on the strategic road network managed and maintained by the Highways Agency. This includes renewal of the road surface and repairs to structures, as well as routine maintenance such as gully clearing, white lining, cleaning and winter maintenance, but not costs associated with private finance initiative contracts.
	To disaggregate the cost of A-roads for the Highways Agency can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The Department for Transport also provides capital funding for highways maintenance to local highway authorities and it is for each individual highway authority to decide how to allocate this money, including resurfacing of A-roads for which they are responsible.
	Figures detailing how much has been spent by local authorities specifically on resurfacing of A-roads are not held centrally. Information on overall expenditure for structural maintenance on A-roads by local authorities is routinely published on the Department for Communities and Local Government website at the following weblinks:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/localgovernment/localregional/localgovernmentfinance/statistics/revenueexpenditure/revenue200910/localauthoritydata/
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/statistics/capitallocaldata200910

Trade Unions

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff of (a) his Department, (b) the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, (c) the Driving Standards Agency, (d) the Government Car and Despatch Agency, (e) the Highways Agency, (f) the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, (g) the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency and (h) the Vehicles Certification Agency are entitled to work (i) full-time as trade union representatives and (ii) part-time on trade union activities; how many such staff are paid more than £25,900 annually; and what the cost to the public purse of employing such staff on such duties was in the latest period for which figures are available.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport, including its seven Executive Agencies, permits elected representatives of an officially recognised trade union to have an annual allocation of paid time off from their official duties (‘facility time’), in order to undertake their role as trade union officers.
	The information requested has been provided in the following table.
	
		
			 Organisation Full-time trade union representatives Part-time trade union representatives Number of full-time and part-time trade union representatives paid more than £25,900 Annual cost of trade union activities to the public purse (£) 
			 Department for Transport central 3 17 15 168,724 
			 Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency 8 37 2 270,059 
			 Driving Standards Agency 4 47 9 218,000 
			 Government Car and Despatch Agency 0 7 5 12,504 
			 Highways Agency 2 93 30 261,216 
			 Maritime and Coastguard Agency 1 37 19 87,000 
			 Vehicle and Operator Services Agency 3 31 12 (1)253,149 
			 Vehicle Certification Agency 0 7 0 1,000 
			 (1) VOSA figure includes overtime, travel and subsistence and fuel costs. Note: The table is based on trade union representatives and their annual costs as at 1 April 2011.

TREASURY

Banks: Finance

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the long-term monetary value of the shares in (a) the Royal Bank of Scotland, (b) Lloyds Banking Group and (c) Northern Rock reviewed by UK General Investments Ltd.

Justine Greening: The Government's shareholdings in financial institutions are managed by UK Financial Investments (UKFI). UKFI's objective is to dispose of the investments in an orderly and active manner, within the context of an overarching objective of protecting and creating value for the taxpayer, paying due regard to financial stability and to acting in way that promotes competition.
	UKFI is responsible for recommending sales to the Chancellor in line with its Framework Document and Investment mandate. The decision to proceed with a sale ultimately rests with the Chancellor.
	With regard to Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group specifically, the future movements in the share prices of any publicly traded company are inherently difficult to predict.
	The Chancellor announced in his Mansion House speech that he has decided to put Northern Rock plc up for sale, to banks or mutuals, based on recommendations from UKFI. This follows advice from UKFI that a sale process is likely to generate the best value for the taxpayer and should be explored as a first option.

Banks: Regulation

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what reporting his Department requires from (a) the Royal Bank of Scotland, (b) Lloyds Banking Group and (c) Northern Rock.

Justine Greening: UK Financial Investments has been set up to manage the Government's investment in financial institutions including the Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds Banking Group and Northern Rock.
	As part of the Royal Bank of Scotland's participation in the Asset Protection Scheme, the bank is contractually required to regularly provide information to the Asset Protection Agency, an executive agency set up to run the scheme.

Banks: Regulation

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what (a) quarterly and (b) annual stretch targets have been set for the Project Merlin agreement; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  for what reasons stretch targets were not published alongside capacity targets in his Project Merlin statement on 9 February 2011;
	(3)  what role the Bank of England has in monitoring banks' performance against stretch targets under the Project Merlin agreement;
	(4)  what assessment he has made of Project Merlin's performance in increasing lending to small and medium-sized businesses since February 2011.

Justine Greening: The Merlin commitment agreed with the banks is £190 billion of gross new lending facilities to UK corporates, including facilities of £76 billion to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). The banks will be judged against these published and agreed numbers. Figures published in May by the Bank of England show that the five banks participating in the Merlin lending accord agreed new lending facilities of £16.8 billion to UK SMEs in the first quarter of this year. The Bank of England will continue to report the banks' new lending facilities on a quarterly basis for the duration of the Merlin agreement.

Departmental Public Bodies

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 18 March 2011, Official Report, columns 759-60W, on departmental public appointments, for what reason the answer referred to a website that cannot be found; and how many (a) women and (b) men no longer serve on public bodies sponsored by his Department because of decisions to close, merge or reorganise such bodies taken since his appointment.

Justine Greening: The website referred to remains live and available to the general public. The answer to the second part of the question, as of 18 June 2011, is (a) none, and (b) none.

Legal Aid

Andy Slaughter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the potential costs to the public purse resulting from proposed reductions in civil legal aid.

Justine Greening: The impact of all policies, including the impact on the public purse, is considered carefully as part of both formal impact assessments and the Cabinet Committee clearance process.

WALES

Departmental Regulation

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 
	(1)  what regulations her Department introduced between 1 March 2011 and 31 May 2011; and what the estimated costs of implementation were for those affected in each case;
	(2)  what the name is of each regulatory measure revoked by her Department between 1 March and 31 May 2011; and what estimate she has made of the potential annual saving to those affected by each revocation.

David Jones: No regulations have been introduced or revoked by the Wales Office during these periods.

EU Law

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales for what European directives in force on 1 April 2010 her Department is responsible; and what European directives for which her Department is responsible have come into force since 1 April 2010.

David Jones: None.

Public Expenditure

Hywel Francis: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions she has had with the Welsh Local Government Association on the effects of the outcome of the 2010 Spending Review on the delivery of front-line services in Wales; and if she will make a statement.

David Jones: The delivery of local government services is devolved in Wales, and, as such, is a matter for the Welsh Government.
	The Welsh Government received a fair settlement in both the comprehensive spending review and the Budget. The reduction in the Welsh Government's budget is smaller than the UK average and the Budget, despite being fiscally neutral, allocated an additional £65 million to the Welsh Government.
	Maintaining front-line services across the UK is an important matter, though it is for the Welsh Government to decide how to allocate resources in devolved areas.
	In taking forward the localism agenda, the Government are freeing local government in England from central and regional control so that they can ensure services are delivered according to local needs. I hope the Welsh Government will bring the same benefits to the citizens of Wales.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Atos

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much (a) will be paid to Atos Healthcare for the current contract to provide medical services to his Department and (b) Atos Healthcare has been so paid to date.

Chris Grayling: The information is as follows:
	(a) The contract with Atos Healthcare is demand driven. Our profile of costs to date lead us to estimate a total contract value in the region of £1 billion over the lifetime of the contract (from 1 September 2005 to 31 August 2015). The scope of the services includes medical assessment, medical advice, IT support infrastructure and maintenance of facilities.
	(b) The amount paid to date (for each financial year) to Atos Healthcare for medical services is set out in the following table:
	
		
			 Financial period £ million 
			 1 September 2005 to March 31 2006 73.3 
			 2006-07 60.2 
			 2007-08 70.2 
			 2008-09 111.8 
			 2009-10 99.1 
			 2010-11 112.8 
			 Total 527.4 
			 Source: DWP Commercial Intelligence database.

Atos

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which companies tendered for the contract to provide medical services to his Department.

Chris Grayling: Companies that tendered for the medical services contract were:
	Atos Origin UK (trading as Atos Healthcare);
	Capita; and
	Vertex (part of the United Utilities Group)

Atos

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of appeals against decisions made by Atos Healthcare were upheld in the latest period in which figures are available.

Chris Grayling: Decisions on entitlement to employment and support allowance (ESA) are made solely by the Department's decision makers. Atos Healthcare provide a recommendation after they have completed the work capability assessment (WCA) and this is taken into account, along with any other relevant information, when the decision maker decides on the final outcome of the claim.
	For ESA claims that started between October 2008 and February 2010, that were found fit for work at the initial work capability assessment and had an appeal heard by February 2011, 39% found in favour of the appellant, meaning their entitlement to ESA was reinstated.
	The Department regularly publishes official statistics on ESA and the WCA. The latest report was published in April 2011 and can be found on the internet at the following link:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/esa_wca/index.php?page=esa_wca_arc

Poverty: Children

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children were living in workless households in (a) March 1983 and (b) March 1991.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated June 2011
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your question asking how many children were living in workless households in (a) March 1983 and (b) March 1991 (60349).
	Labour Force Survey household datasets are available only from April-June 1997, so the requested information is not available.
	Published data on children in workless households can be found at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/work0910.pdf

Social Security Benefits

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in the Vale of Glamorgan have been claiming out of work benefits for 10 years or more.

Chris Grayling: Following are the number of claimants who have been claiming out of work benefits for more than 10 years in the Vale of Glamorgan. It should be noted that incapacity benefit was replaced by employment support allowance from October 2008.
	(a) No jobseeker's allowance claimants have been receiving benefits for more than 10 years in the Vale of Glamorgan.
	(b) 1,580 incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance claimants have been receiving benefits for more than 10 years in the Vale of Glamorgan. Employment support allowance was introduced in 2008 and therefore there are no claimants on this benefit who have been claiming for more than 10 years.
	(c) 140 income support/pension credit claimants have been receiving benefits for more than 10 years in the Vale of Glamorgan. This figure refers to claimants of income support (and males age 60-64 claiming pension credit) that are not also claiming incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance.
	Note:
	Figures are sourced from the Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study and have been rounded to nearest 10.

Unemployment

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many unemployed people per job vacancy there were in each constituency in (a) June 2010 and (b) the most recent month for which figures are available.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated June 2011
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many unemployed people per job vacancy there were in each constituency in (a) June 2010 and (b) the most recent month for which figures are available. (060344)
	The information requested is not available in this exact form. However, table 1 presents the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) per Jobcentre Plus vacancy for each constituency in Great Britain for June 2010 and May 2011, the latest period available. A copy has been placed in the House of Commons Library.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at:
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk